NHL Wednesday Night Rivalry Game
Face-off: Wednesday, 8:00 p.m. ET
Line: N/A

Philadelphia Flyers look to extend their three-game winning streak against reeling Boston Bruins.

The Bruins have been a streaky team throughout this half-season’s worth of NHL play: Three times they’ve won five of six, and three times they’ve lost three straight. Boston, who has lost seven of its last nine overall, looks to avoid a fourth three-game skid against a Flyers squad that is coming off consecutive victories over Montreal, Minnesota, and the New York Islanders.

Shayne Gostisbehere (7 G, 9 A, 16 PTS), a rookie revelation that has helped shore up the Philadelphia blueline and provide offense, is day-to-day after a knee-on-knee collision last Thursday. The Bruins have been lethal on the road this season, boasting a 12-4-3 record, and are 9-2 in their last 11 games at Philadelphia. Philadelphia has won its past five home games.

Special teams should play a large role in determining this match-up: The Bruins own the league’s second-best power play (28.1%) and generates 0.8 power-play goals per game, also good for second overall. The Flyers, meanwhile, own the league’s third-worst power play (15.8%) and average just 2.3 goals per game, third fewest in the NHL. As a favorite against Eastern Conference opponents, the Bruins are 9-4 this season; as an underdog this year, the Flyers are 12-17.

At 7-10-5, the Flyers appeared to be heading toward another lost season, but the goaltending tandem of Steve Mason (9-10-5, 2.72 GAA, 91.3% SV%) and Michal Neuvirth (9-5-2, 2.12 GAA, 93.4% SV%) has helped offset sluggish seasons by Claude Giroux (12 G, 18 A, 30 PTS) and Jakub Voracek (4 G, 26 A, 30 PTS). Mason has started Philadelphia’s last two games.

The aging Bruins are undergoing a bit of a transition this year, but still present a formidable roster of experienced, game-changing talents, including Patrice Bergeron (15 G, 23 A, 38 PTS) and Zdeno Chara (5 G, 17 A, 22 PTS). A resurgent season from Loui Eriksson (14 G, 20 A, 34 PTS), obtained in the infamous Tyler Seguin trade, has been a notable surprise. The Bruins deserved at least a point in the standings in their last game, but took a tough loss to the New York Rangers. Look for Boston to be acutely focused against Philadelphia.