Flames at Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are making their playoff push and look to take advantage of three straight home games against sub-.500 teams, beginning with Monday’s meeting with the Calgary Flames. Philadelphia, which follows with matchups versus Edmonton and Columbus, has won two in a row to start a six-game homestand and is 4-1-1 in its last six after Saturday’s 4-2 win over Arizona.
The Flyers trail Pittsburgh by three points for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and have played one more game than the Penguins. Philadelphia got captain Claude Giroux back from a three-game absence Saturday and he notched his 500th career point with a goal, while second-leading scorer Jakub Voracek (lower body) is questionable after missing the contest against Arizona. If the Flames hadn’t already fallen out of contention for a playoff spot, coughing up a two-goal lead to Ottawa in a 6-4 loss at home on Saturday might have sealed their fate. Johnny Gaudreau will attempt to extend his point streak to eight games for Calgary, which is 1-6-1 in its last eight contests.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet West (Calgary), CSN Philadelphia
ABOUT THE FLAMES (26-31-4): Gaudreau has recorded three goals and eight assists during his point run while Sean Monahan has netted two tallies and set up two others in his last three contests. Gaudreau (62 points) and Monahan (43) played with David Jones on the top line Saturday after veteran Jiri Hudler was dealt to Florida for a pair of draft picks. Impending free-agent defenseman Kris Russell has been the subject of trade rumors but is suffering from a lower-body injury.
ABOUT THE FLYERS (28-22-11): Giroux reached the 50-point mark for the third straight season and fifth overall Saturday while Voracek’s ironman streak ended at 286 games – tied for third-longest in franchise history. Brayden Schenn has stepped up of late with five points in four games while Sam Gagner has registered three of his five goals in the last four contests. Michal Neuvirth (15-7-4, .928 save percentage) has started three straight games, stopping 53-of-57 shots to win the last two.
OVERTIME
1. Philadelphia D Shayne Gostisbehere has been held off the scoresheet in three straight contests following a 15-game point streak.
2. Calgary’s 19-year-old C Sam Bennett has 15 goals on the season but has been scoreless over his last eight games.
3. The Flames have won the last three meetings, including a 2-1 overtime triumph at home on Nov. 5.