Two games into the Flyers' crucial stretch of 10 Eastern Conference opponents among 11 overall games, they already have four points.
More significantly, heading into Friday night, they had crept to within three points of a wild-card spot.
Suffice to say, Saturday’s matinee against the New York Islanders represents another chance to get close to the pack. Right now, the Flyers (41 points) need to catapult over Pittsburgh (43 points) and New Jersey (45 points) in the Metro Division. The Isles (49 points) can wait.
Jack Capuano’s club is 2-0 against the Flyers this season.
“A four-point game -- it’s something we know,” said defenseman Michael Del Zotto, the overtime hero on Thursday night in Minnesota. “We let some points slip away the last time we played them. It’s a very good team. A team we are catching, so we know the importance of the game.”
The Flyers have recaptured a tiny bit of momentum after losing three straight on the West Coast last week. If they are going to have shot at making the playoffs, they need to make ground between now and Feb. 2 (Montreal) when this stretch of games ends.
The Islanders have one area where they have shown a distinct edge over the Flyers in the teams' first two meetings.
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“Speed, a lot of speed and we just got to match it,” Jakub Voracek said. “Every time we match it and we are physical on the other teams, that’s when we are the better team. Play physical and make sure we have jump in our legs like we did [in Minnesota].”
Rookie defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere will not play because of a right knee injury (see story). Newly-acquired centerman Jordan Weal is expected to sit, too. He needs a few practices to feel comfortable with the team.
The Isles are eight points ahead of the Flyers in the Metro and struggling with a 4-6 record over their last 10. Interestingly, both the Isles and Flyers have 24 points against Eastern Conference opponents while the Isles have 16 points against divisional opponents compared to the Flyers’ 14.
The Flyers lost, 3-1, in Brooklyn in November and also lost, 4-3, in a shootout here on Dec. 8.
“We didn’t play very well in their building … we didn’t generate anything,” Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said. “We had a tough night. It was a close final score, but we didn’t play well. The game here was a great hockey game. There was very little difference to the hockey game.”
Right now, very little difference can mean the final difference between a playoff spot and sitting at home during the postseason.