PREVIEW 8:45 AM EST

The last time the Flyers (31-12-5) saw the Chicago Blackhawks (26-18-4), they were playing for the 2010 Stanley Cup. There's nothing like opposing a team in the playoffs to build a rivalry, and today's early afternoon (12:30 PM EST) matinee in Chicago is the lone regular season meeting between the teams this season. The Flyers lost all three games in Chicago during the Finals last season, but went 3-1 on home ice (including their 3-2 regular season win on March 13).

Both clubs had games yesterday. The Flyers put forth a miserable effort in a 3-1 loss against the New Jersey Devils, while the Hawks rose to the occasion to down the Detroit Red Wings, 4-1. New Jersey's season is a lost cause but they have been playing much better hockey over the last two weeks, and the Flyers were unable to get away with playing with a sense of urgency for only a fraction of the game (as they did in a couple previous wins against the Devils this season). A horrendous goal allowed by Brian Boucher to Patrik Elias in the first period also put a big stumbling block in the team's path, putting them in a 2-0 hole. Today's game marks the third time in the last month that the Flyers will have played a stretch of three games in four days.

Even with yesterday's loss, the Flyers are 8-2-0 over their last 10 games. But the team needs to be on the top of its game today. The Blackhawks have been up and down this season but the defending champs have been on a roll of late, boasting a 5-0-1 record over the last five games. In yesterday's win over Detroit, Tomas Kopecky scored a pair of goals and Dave Bolland and Troy Brouwer scored single goals. Corey Crawford made 36 saves for the victory.

Claude Giroux brings a five-game point streak into this tilt, having scored 2 goals and added 4 assists over that span. James van Riemsdyk has scored in back-to-back games. Meanwhile, Mike Richards has 3 goals and 3 assists over the last four games and Danny Briere had 13 points (7 G, 6 A) in the last 9 games.

Last year in the Finals, the trio of Briere, Scott Hartnell and Ville Leino dominated against the Blackhawks. The line has continued this season as the Flyers most productive and consistent unit. However, like the rest of the team, none of the players had particularly memorable performances against New Jersey yesterday.

The Blackhawks have not necessarily been of late because their big-name stars have been on a roll. On the contrary, it has been the supporting cast that has provided most of the offense of late. Dave Bolland has an active five-game point streak (5 G, 3 A). Troy Brouwer has tallied four goals in the last four games. Tomas Kopecky has points in each of the last three games (3 G, 2 A).

Patrick Kane (13 G, 23 A) has had a bit of a down year by his standards and has scored just two goals in his last 12 games. However, he has registered single assists in 7 of the last 10 games. Team captain Jonathan Toews has 2 goals and 6 points over the last 11 games. Ex-Flyer Patrick Sharp, the team's leading scorer, has just one point (an assist) over the last four games but if you extend the outlook to the last dozen games, he's been productive (7 G, 4 A, 11 PTS).

With the exception a three-point outburst against the New York Islanders, Marian Hossa has been mired in a scoring drought. He has one point (an assist against Detroit) in the last four games, seven pointless games in the last 11 and two goals over that span. Meanwhile defending Norris Trophy defenseman Duncan Keith is a plus-seven over the last five games and has compiled four assists over that span but is still minus-one on the season and has not tallied a power play goal.

The Flyers' penalty kill has run hot and cold all season but has been strong of late. It will have to be against a Chicago power play that has clicked at an impressive 25.4 percent rate this season. Avoiding bad penalties is a must.

On the flip side, Chicago's PK has cost the club quite a few games this season. They've been a bit better of late but still stand at a highly disappointing 77.7 percent for the season. The Flyers' power play has also been a disappointment this season (16.8 percent) but tallied twice against Ottawa on Thursday night.

In goal, rookie Corey Crawford (16-8-2 , 2.08 GAA, .923 save percentage) has stepped forward in a big way for Chicago. His emergence has helped make up for the Hawks' miscalculation of bringing in aging and declining Marty Turco (10-10-2, 3.02 GAA, .898 SV%) to be the intended number one goalie this season. Chicago coach Joel Quenneville did not name a starter for today's game after the game against the Wings yesterday.

Likewise, Peter Laviolette (as usual) declined to name a starting goalie in advance. However, with Brian Boucher starting yesterday, the Flyers are likely to go with rookie Sergei Bobrovsky (19-6-3 , 2.49 GAA, .918 SV%) in net. Bob has played well in each of his last four starts.

PROJECTED LINEUPS (subject to change)

FLYERS

Zherdev - Richards - Nodl
Hartnell - Briere - Leino
JVR - Carter - Giroux
Shelley - Betts - Powe

Pronger - Carle
Coburn - Timonen
Meszaros - O'Donnell

Bobrovsky
[Boucher]


BLACKHAWKS

Brouwer - Toews - Kane
Kopecky - Sharp - Hossa
Bickell - Bolland - Pisani
Stahlberg - Dowell - Skille

Keith - Seabrook
Campbell - Hjalmarsson
Leddy - Hendry

Crawford/Turco

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