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Flyers-Sharks Preview

Nov 19, 2009 - 9:11 PM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

Philadelphia (12-5-1) at San Jose (14-5-4), 10:00 p.m. EDT

A return home figures to help the San Jose Sharks as they try to avoid their first three-game losing streak, but they'll find one of the NHL's hottest teams waiting for them.

The Philadelphia Flyers look to continue their road trip Friday with an eighth victory in nine games, but that would require their first win over San Jose in nearly nine years.

The Sharks (14-5-4) closed their recent trip by losing back-to-back games for just the second time, and their streak of earning at least a point in 12 straight ended with a 4-3 loss to Nashville on Tuesday.

San Jose, though, has been outstanding at HP Pavilion, outscoring opponents 25-12 while going 6-0-2 - the best home winning percentage in the league.

The Sharks have also dominated the Flyers this decade. Philadelphia is 0-6-2 with two ties in 10 meetings since a 4-3 win Dec. 21, 2000, and it has not won in San Jose since Nov. 5, 1999.

The Sharks won 4-1 in Philadelphia on Oct. 25.

Flyers backup and former Shark Brian Boucher was in net in that game, and he got his second start of the season Wednesday, stopping 37 shots - 20 in the third period - to help Philadelphia (12-5-1) to a 3-2 win over Los Angeles to start its five-game trip.

"I didn't think we had our A game by any means," coach John Stevens said, "but I think good teams find a way to grind out and get a win."

Ray Emery will likely return to the crease to face the Sharks for the first time, looking to continue his brilliant start with his new team. Emery, who signed with the Flyers after playing in Russia last season, is 6-1-0 with a 1.70 goals-against average in his last seven starts.

Philadelphia has also been boosted by the NHL's top power play, which is converting 27.6 percent of the time. James van Riemsdyk's third-period power- play goal stood up as the winner Wednesday.

Van Riemsdyk, the No. 2 overall pick in 2007, is the only rookie averaging more than one point per game, with 17 in 15 contests.

"I think we were (surprised about van Riemsdyk) in the beginning but I think we've come to expect it from him now," Stevens said. "He's only going to get better as he experiences these situations on the road."

The Flyers' offense certainly faces a challenge against the Sharks, whose 2.35 GAA ranks third in the NHL. Evgeni Nabokov is 7-0-3 with a 1.55 GAA in his last 10 starts, and he'll likely be in net after getting Tuesday night off.

The loss to Nashville capped a stretch of three road games in four nights for San Jose, which will try to use two off days to recharge.

"Mentally you know when you're on the back end of a road trip, and your legs don't give you everything you want," coach Todd McLellan said Tuesday. "Mentally you better be sharp, and we weren't that one bit."

The game will mark Flyers defenseman Matt Carle's first visit to San Jose since the Sharks traded him to Tampa Bay before the 2008-09 season. Carle, the Hobey Baker Award winner as the nation's top player at Denver, fell out of favor in San Jose after signing an extension.

He leads the NHL with a plus-18.