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Bruins, Flyers face off in key Eastern Conference showdown

Mar 15, 2008 - 10:49 AM Philadelphia (35-27-9) at Boston (36-27-8) 1:00 pm EDT

BOSTON (Ticker) -- If their recent play is any indication, neither the Philadelphia Flyers nor the Boston Bruins seem to want a postseason berth.

Only one of them will be able to improve their playoff positioning Saturday, when the two struggling teams face off at TD Banknorth Garden.

Boston currently holds the seventh seed in the East but has not been playing playoff-caliber hockey of late. The Bruins have lost three straight (0-2-1) and are just 1-4-2 in their last seven games.

It has gotten so bad that Boston lost at home, 3-1, to last-place Tampa Bay on Thursday. The Bruins had won 20 of the previous 28 home meetings with the Lightning (20-2-6).

The Bruins, who are one point ahead of the eighth-place Flyers, once again were without captain Zdeno Chara on Thursday. The All-Star defenseman has missed the last three games with a undisclosed upper body injury and is day-to-day.

Boston's offense has sputtered recently, as it has scored just two goals in the last three games. Should it continue to falter, the Bruins could find themselves in a precarious position as four teams are within six points of them in the crowded Eastern Conference.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia has its own problems right now. The Flyers, who are just 5-10-4 in their last 19 games, enter Saturday having lost a home-and-home series with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Philadelphia holds a two-point lead over Buffalo (33-28-11) for the last playoff spot, with Washington (34-30-8) and Florida (34-31-8) just three points back.

The Flyers could get a boost as All-Star center Mike Richards is eyeing a possible return to the lineup. The 23-year-old Richards has missed the team's last nine games with a torn left hamstring.