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Penguins put 12-game win streak on the line vs. rival Flyers

Dec 14, 2010 - 3:32 PM (Sports Network) - The Pittsburgh Penguins will fight for their 13th straight victory in hostile territory when they visit the rival Philadelphia Flyers tonight at the Wells Fargo Center.

The Penguins are in the midst of the second-longest winning streak in club history, having posted 12 consecutive wins since losing in overtime to the New York Rangers on Nov. 15. Pittsburgh is 14-0-1 since last dropping a regulation decision on Nov. 10 against Boston.

The only winning streak in Pittsburgh history longer than the current one was the NHL-record, 17-game stretch put together by the 1992-93 Penguins.

Pittsburgh, however, has lost two of three against the Flyers this season, but the lone Pens' victory in this year's series came in Philadelphia on Oct. 16. The Penguins won that game by a 5-1 score, marking their sixth straight victory in the City of Brotherly Love. Pittsburgh has also won seven straight on the road in the current season and is an impressive 11-3-1 as the guest this year.

The Pens have taken six of nine overall in this series and enter tonight with a one-point lead over Philadelphia for first place in both the Atlantic Division and NHL standings.

Sidney Crosby is a big reason the Penguins have taken 21 of the last 31 meetings with the Flyers. Pittsburgh's captain has recorded 26 goals and an amazing 60 points in his 35 career games against Philadelphia.

Crosby has also provided the offensive impetus behind his team's current winning streak, notching a point in 18 straight games. The Penguins recorded a 5-2 win in Buffalo on Saturday and Crosby added an assist to keep the point streak alive. With a goal or an assist tonight, Crosby can match the longest point run of his NHL career, a 19-game stretch from Oct. 6-Nov. 17, 2007.

"I try not to think about it a whole lot," said Crosby after Saturday's win over the Sabres. "I was just trying to make sure that we created something. It was difficult out there tonight so I was just trying to make sure we took advantage of the chances we had."

Crosby is leading the NHL in both goals (26) and points (51) this season.

Dustin Jeffrey had a goal and an assist while Alex Goligoski, Michael Rupp, Matt Cooke and Arron Asham all lit the lamp for the Penguins.

Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 34 shots in the win, improving his record to 14-6-1 on the season. Fleury is 19-8-0 with a 2.69 GAA in 30 career starts against the Flyers.

The Penguins have been able to keep their winning streak going despite playing the last four games without Evgeni Malkin, who has been sidelined with a knee injury. Malkin, who has 41 points (15 goals, 26 assists) in 29 career games against the Flyers, is questionable for tonight's test.

The Flyers enter tonight having won two straight and posting a 4-0-1 record in their last five games. Philadelphia was last in action on Saturday, when it was able to notch a thrilling victory in Boston. Mike Richards tallied with three seconds left in overtime to lift the Flyers to the 2-1 victory at TD Garden.

As time wound down in the extra session, Richards found a loose puck in the neutral zone and worked one-on-one with Bruins defenseman Dennis Seidenberg towards the Boston net. As he cruised down the right wing, two more Flyers forwards joined the rush, but the Philadelphia captain whipped a wrister through Tim Thomas to end the contest.

James van Riemsdyk tallied late in the second period for the Flyers and Brian Boucher stopped 35-of-36 shots to record his fourth win in five starts.

Boucher may sit tonight in favor of rookie netminder Sergei Bobrovsky, who is 2-1 with a 2.67 GAA in three starts against the Penguins this season.

The Flyers are also close to getting Michael Leighton back in the crease, as Philadelphia's No. 1 backstop from last year's playoff run is nearing a return from offseason back surgery. The Flyers are expected to keep three goaltenders on the roster when Leighton, who has been on a rehab assignment with Adirondack of the AHL, gets activated from injured reserve.

Philadelphia will not have enforcer Jody Shelly tonight as the forward will serve the first portion of a two-game suspension. Shelly was given the ban for drilling Boston defenseman Adam McQuaid into the boards from behind. McQuaid was helped off the ice, but he was eventually able to return to the game. Shelley was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct.

The Flyers have lost three of their last four home games, but still have a 10-5-2 record as the host this year.