• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Flying high: Philly closes successful month versus Habs

Jan 25, 2011 - 4:26 PM (Sports Network) - The Philadelphia Flyers will try to close out what has been a spectacular month with another victory when they host the Montreal Canadiens tonight at Wells Fargo Center.

The Flyers, who are tied with Vancouver for the NHL lead with 69 points, have compiled a 9-2-0 record in January and are coming off a win over the team that defeated them in last year's Stanley Cup Finals. Jeff Carter scored twice and added an assist while Claude Giroux picked up four helpers, as Philadelphia earned a 4-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks in a rematch of last year's championship series.

The Blackhawks won the best-of-seven series in six games back in June. Patrick Kane became the hero in Game 6 when he scored the Cup-clinching goal in overtime, giving the franchise its first Stanley Cup title since 1961.

Nikolay Zherdev and Scott Hartnell also tallied on Sunday for the Flyers, who recovered from Saturday's 3-1 loss to New Jersey. Philadelphia is currently five points ahead of Pittsburgh atop the Atlantic Division.

"We came into a loud building against a very good hockey team, and played a real sound hockey game and walked away with two points," Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette said.

Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk missed Sunday's game with a groin injury and is questionable for tonight's tilt.

Sergei Bobrovsky was solid between the pipes on Sunday, turning aside 30-of-31 shots to pick up the victory. It's unclear if Bobrovsky or Boucher will get the start in net tonight. Boucher is 2-6-0 with a 2.72 goals-against average in 11 career games against the Habs, while the rookie is 1-1-0 versus Montreal.

Bobrovsky stopped 38-of-41 shots in helping anchor the Flyers to a 5-3 win over the Canadiens on Dec. 15 in Montreal. Philadelphia has taken four of six overall in the series, but the Habs have won seven out of nine in the City of Brotherly Love.

The Flyers are 15-7-2 on home ice this year, while the Canadiens are 11-11-1 away from Montreal.

The Habs, who have 59 points and are two points behind idle Boston for the Northeast Division lead, have lost two of their last three outings but have also recorded a point in five straight games (3-0-2).

Montreal dropped a 4-3 shootout decision Saturday against the visiting Anaheim Ducks as Bobby Ryan scored the lone goal of the final segment. Ryan ended the second round by scoring on a low forehand shot inside the left post. Brian Gionta could have kept the home team alive, but his shot from the right post was smothered by Jonas Hiller to end the game.

Saku Koivu returned to Montreal for the first time since leaving as a free agent to Anaheim in 2009, and recorded an assist but committed a late penalty which led to the Habs' tying tally.

Montreal pulled within 3-2 on Mathieu Darche's goal with 3:40 left in the third period and Max Pacioretty capitalized on Koivu's interference minor with 17 seconds remaining in regulation.

Carey Price stopped 23 shots in defeat and is 6-3-0 with a 2.16 GAA in his career against the Flyers.

Montreal forward Jeff Halpern missed the last two games with an upper-body injury, but is probable for tonight's tilt.