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Flyers hope to rebound versus Predators

Feb 3, 2011 - 3:42 PM (Sports Network) - The Philadelphia Flyers will aim to bounce back from a disappointing loss as they kick off a four-game homestand versus the Nashville Predators tonight at Wells Fargo Center.

The Flyers came out of the All-Star break tied with the Canucks for the most points in the NHL with 71, but fell two back of Vancouver for that honor after Tuesday's 4-0 setback in Tampa.

While the Lightning's Dwayne Roloson stopped all 38 shots he faced, Flyers rookie goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky gave up three goals in six shots in one period of action. He was relieved by Brian Boucher, who made 15 saves.

"I think you've got to respect your opponents when you want to make to the playoffs, otherwise you won't get to the playoffs," said Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette. "They have a good team, they're having a good year. We got behind early and couldn't get an attack going."

All-Star forward Claude Giroux had a career-best seven-game point streak end (3 goals, 8 assists) for the Flyers, who were shut out for the fourth time this season and now lead the Penguins by just one point for the most in the Atlantic Division.

Philadelphia will now look to get on track at home, where it is 16-7-2 this year and has won four of its last five

Bobrovsky's outing two days ago could prompt Laviolette to go with Boucher for this game. The veteran netminder is 4-3-2 with a tie and 3.08 goals-against average lifetime against the Predators.

Nashville has dropped three straight, including Tuesday's 3-2 shootout setback to Calgary, for its longest losing streak since a five-game slide from Dec. 18-28. The Predators are fourth overall in the Western Conference with 61 points, seven back of first-place Detroit in the Central Division.

Pekka Rinne made 26 saves in Tuesday's loss, but gave up the lone goal of the shootout. Martin Erat and Patric Hornqvist scored the Nashville goals.

"I think you look at this as two desperate teams going at it," said Nashville head coach Barry Trotz. "We are both evenly matched and both needing two points. It was a well-played game, we were just on the other end of it."

Rinne has split two career starts versus the Flyers, earning a 4-3 shootout win at home over them last year. Rinne made 42 saves and Erat scored in regulation and the shootout.

Nashville has won three of its last four versus the Flyers overall, but has dropped two of the last three in Philadelphia.