Maple Leafs at Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers have picked an inopportune time to drop back-to-back contests as they continue their three-team tango for the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. The Flyers look to apply the brakes and improve their postseason standing on Thursday, when they host the spiraling Toronto Maple Leafs.
Philadelphia used a scintillating 13-3-2 surge to climb into playoff contention, but Sunday's 6-2 setback in Pittsburgh and a 3-0 loss at Detroit three nights later have the club clinging to the second wild-card spot in the East. Although the Red Wings moved two points ahead of the Flyers, the latter remained even in points with Boston with a game in hand for the last available postseason berth. While Philadelphia is eyeing the NHL's second season, Toronto is keeping tabs on 2016-17 as it has dropped into 30th place in the NHL with losses in four straight and six of its last seven. "I see where people are coming from," Maple Leafs center Tyler Bozak said of the lottery implications. "Obviously, (fans) want the No. 1 pick, and if you lose, you've got a better chance of getting it, so I see what people are saying. But within our room, there's not one guy in here who wants to lose."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet Ontario (Toronto), CSN Philadelphia
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (28-41-11): Although the team has been mired in a campaign that it would like to forget, defenseman Morgan Rielly continued his career season with his personal-best ninth goal in Wednesday's 5-1 loss to Columbus. The 22-year-old Rielly, who is due to be a restricted free agent this summer, has notched one tally and two assists during his three-game point streak. Playing in his fifth career contest, fellow former first-round pick Frederik Gauthier set up Rielly's short-handed goal during the second period for his first NHL point.
ABOUT THE FLYERS (39-27-13): Steve Mason, who made 23 saves against the Red Wings, is expected to make his 11th consecutive start and 16th in 17 outings on Thursday. The 27-year-old yielded five goals on 38 shots versus the Penguins when he last played on consecutive days and is 1-2-2 with a 3.31 goals-against average in that scenario. Fellow Ontario native Claude Giroux has recorded 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) in 24 career encounters with Toronto, but the captain was held off the scoresheet in his lone meeting with the Maple Leafs this season and has been limited to just one assist in his last three games overall.
OVERTIME
1. Philadelphia can clinch a playoff berth by earning five points in its last three games.
2. The Maple Leafs, who have two games remaining on their schedule, can finish no better than second-to-last in the league.
3. Flyers rookie D Shayne Gostisbehere has scored in both meetings with Toronto this season - including the overtime goal in a 5-4 victory on Feb. 20.