Flyers at Senators
THE STORY: Peter Laviolette did his best to put Danny
Briere's matinee performance in perspective. The Philadelphia Flyers
coach admitted he was in awe after watching the diminutive veteran
complete his fifth career hat trick during Saturday's 3-2 triumph in the
opener of a home-and-home series versus the Ottawa Senators.
"Inspiring. Inspired me, I know that," Laviolette said. "He came out and
he was skating and he was in the battles and gettin' knocked around and
taking some and giving some. ... A fight, three goals, won it with half
a dozen seconds left on the clock. It was a terrific, terrific effort."
While Briere did end the game 4:54 into overtime, the Flyers pointed to
Briere's third career fight - versus Kyle Turris in the second period -
as a fueling force during the chippy game. On Sunday, the teams will
reconvene in Canada's capital city as Ottawa will attempt to answer
after having its four-game winning streak come to an end.
TV: 5 p.m. ET, CSP, RSNE
ABOUT THE FLYERS (24-11-4): D Kimmo Timonen was not
going to let an injured left wrist bring an end to his consecutive games
streak. Despite wearing a soft brace following Philadelphia's 5-4
triumph over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday, Timonen notched an
assist and logged nearly 26 minutes of ice time in his 224th straight
regular season contest. RW Jakub Voracek notched a two-assist game for
the second time in four contests. He has six points in five career
meetings with the Senators. G Ilya Bryzgalov fared well by stopping 35
shots - including Ottawa's 2-on-1 chance in overtime - but compatriot
Sergei Bobrovsky is expected to start Sunday.
ABOUT THE SENATORS (21-15-6): All-Star LW Milan
Michalek scored for the first time in six games since returning from a
concussion. He now has 20 goals this season, which sits just two shy of
his previous high in Ottawa (2009-10). Fellow All-Star Erik Karlsson
notched a pair of assists on Saturday, marking the sixth time this
season that he has set up multiple goals in a contest. G Craig Anderson
saw his four-game winning streak come to an end and may give way to Alex
Auld, who is 4-2-0 in his career versus the Flyers.
OVERTIME:
1. Philadelphia has made itself at home on the road by posting a 14-5-2 mark this season.
2. Ottawa certainly hasn't been shy with its timecard this season. The Senators have ventured into overtime on 14 occasions.