Flyers at Islanders
The Philadelphia Flyers have a chance to post back-to-back victories for the first time in more than a month when they visit the New York Islanders on Wednesday night. Philadelphia squeezed out a 3-2 overtime victory against the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday to halt a six-game home losing streak.
Monday's win was only the third overall in the past 14 games (3-7-4) for the Flyers, who have not scored more than three goals since Oct. 21. "In order to get back in the playoff picture, you've got to start putting some streaks together," Philadelphia goaltender Steve Mason told reporters. The Islanders will hope for better luck against the league's lowest-scoring team after they were unable to handle one of the NHL's top offenses. New York dropped both ends of a home-and-home to Atlantic Division-leading Montreal, allowing nine goals in the two losses.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, TCN Philadelphia
ABOUT THE FLYERS (7-9-5): Forward Jakub Voracek, coming off a career-best 81-point campaign, was demoted to the third line after scoring one goal through 20 games and responded with a pair of assists in the victory over Carolina. “I think we had quality chances, that's why the chances went in," Voracek told reporters. "I don't think in Ottawa we had a lot of shots on net but those shots weren't as dangerous as they were (against Carolina)." Captain Claude Giroux had a goal and two assists Monday to give him 10 points in the last nine games.
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (10-8-3): New York coach Jack Capuano wants to see improvement from his special teams after the Islanders converted on only 2-of-33 chances on the power play this month and went 0-for-8 versus the Canadiens. "Special teams can turn games at crucial times," forward Brock Nelson told reporters. "You saw that last game. We had a power play in a 2-2 game and didn't score and gave up a power-play goal." New York has also struggled on the penalty kill, surrendering six power-play tallies over the past five games.
OVERTIME
1. New York is 2-0-2 against the Metropolitan after posting a 21-6-3 record in division play last season.
2. The Flyers are 27-3-1 when Giroux notches at least three points.
3. Philadelphia halted a four-game losing streak in the series with a 5-4 win over the Islanders on April 7.