Thrashers 5 - 4 Flyers
Final - OT
  for this game

Flyers continue quest for East's top seed vs. Thrashers

Mar 12, 2011 - 3:54 PM (Sports Network) - With 90 points, the Flyers have already surpassed their total from a season ago, one that featured a seventh seed in the playoffs and a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Still in the driver's seat for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, Philadelphia goes for a third straight victory tonight against the Atlanta Thrashers at the Wells Fargo Center.

The Flyers need a shootout victory on the season's final day to qualify for the postseason a year ago, but are taking no chances this year. They currently lead the Capitals by two points for first place in the East with two games in hand, and are seven back of the NHL-leading Canucks.

Philadelphia has won back-to-back games since a season-worst four-game slide, including Thursday's 3-2 triumph in Toronto. Brian Boucher made 27 saves for his first victory since Feb. 20 and was proud of how his teammates handled the Maple Leafs.

"[Toronto] had to earn everything they got tonight," Boucher said. "If they are going to get into our zone they are going to have to earn it. It was a gutsy win for us tonight."

Andrej Meszaros, Darroll Powe and Claude Giroux supplied the goals for the Flyers, who were without defenseman Chris Pronger due to an upper-body injury. Nick Boynton, claimed off waivers from Chicago in February, made his debut with the club in Pronger's place.

Pronger remains day-to-day with his injury and is questionable for tonight. He has missed time this year with both a foot and hand injury.

The Flyers and Thrashers will meet three times over the next three weeks and battle tonight for the first time since Jan. 14 in Atlanta. Philadelphia came away with a 5-2 victory thanks to a three-goal third period to avenge last season's four-game series sweep at the hands of Atlanta.

Philly had won 14 straight over the Thrashers before last season and have still won 10 of the past 13 played in the City of Brotherly Love.

The Thrashers figure to be a bit fatigued tonight as they have played in three straight overtime games. After victories over Florida and Carolina, Atlanta dropped a 3-2 decision to New Jersey last night.

Blake Wheeler and Dustin Byfuglien lit the lamp for Atlanta, which has lost 12 of its last 15 games and is six points back of a postseason spot with 14 games to play. Ondrej Pavelec turned aside 27 shots and yielded three power-play goals.

"It's good we got a point, but if you want to make the playoffs, you have to win those games," Pavelec said.

While Byfuglien netted his 20th goal of the season, tops among NHL defenders, fellow blueliner Tobias Enstrom added an assist and the duo have separately matched a club single-season record by a defenseman with 50 points each.

Atlanta plays two straight and four of its next five on the road, where it has lost six of seven.






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