Flyers at Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens attempt to extend their winning streak and complete a perfect homestand when they welcome the Philadelphia Flyers to Bell Centre on Saturday. Montreal has been unstoppable since dropping back-to-back home games against Calgary and Chicago to start the month, winning four straight contests - including the first three of its four-game homestand. Max Pacioretty scored twice while Dale Weise and Lars Eller each recorded a goal and an assist as the Canadiens rolled to a 5-1 triumph over Original Six-rival Boston on Thursday.
Philadelphia had its five-game home winning streak snapped Friday as it suffered a 4-3 loss to struggling Columbus, which had lost a franchise record-tying nine straight. Captain Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek registered a power-play goal and an assist apiece, but the Flyers surrendered three man-advantage tallies as their seven-game point streak at Wells Fargo Center came to an end. Philadelphia looks to avenge its worst loss of the season, a 4-3 shootout defeat at home on Oct. 11 in which it squandered a three-goal lead in the third period.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHLN, CSN Philadelphia, RSN, TVA (Montreal)
ABOUT THE FLYERS (7-6-2): Voracek enters Saturday with a nine-game point streak during which he has collected five goals and 12 assists. The 25-year-old Czech has been kept off the scoresheet just once in 15 contests this season - a 4-0 loss at Chicago on Oct. 21. With 24 points, Voracek trails Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby by one for the league lead.
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (12-4-1): One of the keys to Montreal's current success has been defense. Since allowing a total of 14 goals over a three-game slide, the Canadiens have clamped down - surrendering four tallies during their four-game winning streak. Defenseman Sergei Gonchar made his debut for Montreal on Thursday, registering three shots in 20:08 of ice time after being acquired from Dallas two days earlier.
OVERTIME
1. Flyers RW Wayne Simmonds registered his second two-goal performance of the season in the earlier meeting with Montreal.
2. Eller enters Saturday's contest with a three-game goal-scoring streak.
3. Montreal G Carey Price is tied with Bill Durnan for fourth place on the franchise list with 383 games played.