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Kovalchuk return possible, Thrashers go for fourth straight win

Feb 5, 2008 - 1:58 PM Philadelphia (29-17-5) at Atlanta (26-25-4) 7:00 pm EST

ATLANTA (Ticker) - The Atlanta Thrashers open a four-game homestand riding a wave of momentum.

The Thrashers may have leading-scorer Ilya Kovalchuk back in the lineup Tuesday night as the club looks for its fourth consecutive victory when they face the Philadelphia Flyers.

Kovalchuk has missed the past two games after suffering a knee injury in Wednesday's 4-1 triumph over the Pittsburgh Penguins, but his MRI came back negative and he may be available for Tuesday's game.

Atlanta has thrived during Kovalchuk's absence, winning both contests. The Thrashers held the NHL's leading scorer Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals scoreless in their most recent contest - a 2-0 victory Saturday.

The Thrashers would not want to be without Kovalchuk for long, though, because the 24-year-old Russian leads the club with 38 goals and 64 points this season.

The Flyers, who are tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins and New Jersey Devils atop the Atlantic Division, will look to build off one of their most impressive performances of the season. They blanked the defending Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks, 3-0, on Saturday.

Martin Biron made 27 saves en route to his third shutout of the season and 21st career. Biron is 20-11-4 with a 2.63 goals-against average.