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Sens try to boost postseason chances vs. playoff-bound Flyers

Mar 31, 2012 - 1:49 PM (Sports Network) - The Ottawa Senators will try to boost their playoff chances with a third straight victory when they visit the Philadelphia Flyers for today's matinee at Wells Fargo Center.

The Senators had lost three straight in regulation before posting consecutive victories this week against Pittsburgh and Winnipeg. Ottawa had scored just two goals combined during the 0-3 stretch, but exploded for 14 scores over the two-game win streak.

Ottawa enters today two points ahead of Buffalo and Washington for the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. The Senators are also six behind Boston for the Northeast Division lead with five games left for both teams. The Bruins also play this afternoon against the New York Islanders.

The Flyers have already clinched a playoff spot and are four points behind idle Pittsburgh for the fourth seed in the East. Philadelphia is also four points ahead of New Jersey for the conference's fifth spot and the Devils, who have four games remaining compared to the Flyers' five, are scheduled to play tonight at Carolina.

The Sens broke their three-game slide with an 8-4 win last Saturday against visiting Pittsburgh and Ottawa followed that victory with Monday's 6-4 decision in Winnipeg.

Daniel Alfredsson scored two goals, including the game-winner with 2:33 to play in the third period, to lead the Senators past the Jets. Kyle Turris had a goal and an assist and Chris Neil, Milan Michalek and Kaspars Daugavins also scored for the Sens.

Craig Anderson had 44 saves in the victory while Erik Karlsson finished with three assists and Jason Spezza added two helpers.

Ottawa enters today's game with plenty of rest, but the Sens will play five times from now until next Saturday, which is the final day of the NHL regular season. The Senators, who are 19-13-6 as the road team this year, will complete a three-game swing tomorrow against the Islanders.

Philadelphia won for the third time in four games the last time out, posting a 7-1 rout of the hosting Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday. Wayne Simmonds supplied two goals and an assist and Danny Briere collected a career-high four assists for the Flyers.

Brayden Schenn, who was skating on a line with Simmonds and Briere, scored two first-period goals for Philadelphia.

"For me you could see it coming," Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette said about the scoring outburst. "You can see the lines getting opportunities."

Philadelphia's No. 1 goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov sat out Thursday with a chip fracture in his right foot and the Flyers turned to backup Sergei Bobrovsky, who made 16 saves in just his second appearance since Feb. 18. His last win came against the Maple Leafs on Feb. 9.

Bryzgalov practiced on Friday, but is doubtful for today's game.

Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timonen missed Thursday's game with an upper-body injury, but is probable to return tonight according to Flyers' general manager Paul Holmgren.

Philadelphia is 21-12-5 as the host this year and will play three of its next four games at home before closing the season next Saturday in Pittsburgh.

The Flyers beat Ottawa in the first two meetings between the clubs earlier this season, but the Senators answered back with a 6-4 home win on Jan. 8. Ottawa has taken six of 10 overall in this series, but has also lost three straight and seven of its last nine in Philadelphia.