(SportsNetwork.com) – The Carolina Hurricanes try to pick up a fourth straight
win over Philadelphia on Thursday night when they visit the Flyers and Wells
Fargo Center.
The Hurricanes have just one victory over their last six games, a 3-2 shootout
win over the Flyers on April 4. Nathan Gerbe and Chris Terry both scored in
the tiebreaker, while Cam Ward made 21 saves.
Carolina has won seven of its past eight versus Philadelphia overall.
Ray Emery made 24 saves in defeat for the Flyers.
The Hurricanes have lost back-to-back road games since that win, including
Tuesday’s 3-2 setback to the Detroit Red Wings in which they failed to hold a
one-goal advantage in the third period.
Terry had a goal and an assist, Gerbe scored and Anton Khudobin made 22 saves
for Carolina. Rookie forward Victor Rask added two assists.
“We had the lead going into the third and wanted to close it out,” said
Carolina center Eric Staal. “But they were desperate and they made some plays
in the third and capitalized.”
Terry has three goals and six points over his past seven games.
The Hurricanes end their season at home versus Detroit on Saturday and Ward
may start tonight. He is 8-10-3 lifetime versus the Flyers with a 2.88 goals
against average and .897 save percentage in 22 games (20 starts).
The Flyers have a point in seven straight, going 4-0-3 in that span. They
pulled out an impressive 5-4 regulation win over the New York Islanders on
Tuesday, with Brayden Schenn scoring the winner with 2.1 seconds left on the
clock.
Philadelphia led 4-1 at one point and saw New York tie the game with 28
seconds remaining in the third period. However Schenn was squared up against
Isles defenseman Travis Hamonic along the left-wing boards and released a shot
that handcuffed an unscreened Jaroslav Halak and in.
“I knew there was not a whole lot of time left, and I just tried to get it on
net,” said Schenn. “I’ll definitely take a lucky one like that.”
Claude Giroux scored twice and Mark Streit added a career high-tying three
assists for the Flyers. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Carlo Colaiacovo also lit
the lamp to back a 36-save effort from Steve Mason.
Forward Jakub Voracek, meanwhile, had two assists for the Flyers. He has 81
points on the season, fourth most in the NHL and two back of Pittsburgh’s
Sidney Crosby, Dallas’ Jamie Benn and the Islanders’ John Tavares.
Philadelphia has won the first two of a four-game homestand that ends its
season on Saturday versus Ottawa.
Mason may draw the start tonight and is 6-3-1 versus the Hurricanes with a
1.91 GAA and .939 save percentage.
