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Flyers hope to stay on winning track in rematch with Maple Leafs

Mar 10, 2011 - 4:01 PM (Sports Network) - After ending their longest skid of the season in their last outing, the Philadelphia Flyers will try to avenge a recent loss when they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs this evening at Air Canada Centre.

The Eastern Conference-leading Flyers dropped four straight games -- all in regulation -- before notching a home win Tuesday night against Edmonton.

One of Philadelphia's setbacks during the slide came last Thursday against a visiting Maple Leafs club. Darryl Boyce tallied the game-winning score with 4 1/2 minutes left in the third period as Toronto nipped the Flyers, 3-2, and halted a four-game series' losing streak.

Philadelphia has still taken six of eight overall from the Leafs, but despite winning their last two games in Toronto, the Flyers have dropped six out of nine at ACC.

The Flyers still lead the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference with 88 points. Philly is just two points ahead of idle Pittsburgh for the division lead, but the Flyers will get to use one of its two games in hand over the Penguins tonight.

Philadelphia is four points in front of Boston for the conference lead. The Bruins are hosting Buffalo tonight.

Meanwhile, the Leafs are fighting to get into the conference playoff race. Toronto enters this evening as the 10th seed in the East and the Leafs are four points behind Buffalo for the conference's eighth and final playoff berth.

Rookie goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who was saddled with the loss last Thursday against the Leafs, stopped 24 shots in Philadelphia's 4-1 victory over the Oilers at Wells Fargo Center.

Jeff Carter scored twice while Danny Briere added a goal and an assist for the Flyers, who were coming off a 7-0 shellacking at the hands of the Rangers on Sunday.

"We did a great job in the first period and got pucks in deep," said Philadelphia defenseman Chris Pronger. "We moved our feet and did all the little things that you have to do to win games."

Bobrovsky could get his second career start against the Leafs tonight. However, Brian Boucher, who was pulled after starting Sunday's blowout loss to New York, is 6-2-1 with a 1.65 goals-against average in his career versus Toronto.

The Flyers have lost two in a row and three of their last four road games, but they still boast a strong 20-9-3 record away from Philly this season.

The Maple Leafs have lost two straight since their victory in Philadelphia last week. Toronto's most recent setback came in overtime against the New York Islanders, as Blake Comeau scored with 58 seconds left in the extra session to lift the Isles to the 4-3 home win at Nassau Coliseum.

Tim Brent had a goal and an assist, while Nikolai Kulemin lit the lamp for Toronto, which also suffered a 5-3 loss versus Chicago on Saturday and has dropped four of its last six. Keith Aulie registered his first career goal, while James Reimer made 36 saves in defeat.

"Obviously we need points, but it hurts not to get that second one," Aulie said. "I don't think we played our best tonight. I don't think we respected our opponent enough coming into their area and it cost us."

Reimer will likely get the start again tonight after the impressive rookie made 28 stops for last week's victory over the Flyers.

Toronto is kicking off a three-game homestand tonight and will also welcome Buffalo and Tampa Bay during the stay. The Leafs have lost two of three and four of their last six test on home ice and are 15-12-7 at ACC this season.