PREVIEW 9:30 AM EDT
The Flyers (44-19-10) have made a distressing habit in the last couple months of playing to the level of their opposition. Tonight's game against the New York Islanders (29-34-12) is a classic trap game sandwiched in between games with rival teams on the top end of the Eastern Conference.
Philly got a bit of help on the scoreboard last night, as the Washington Capitals were blanked by the bottom-ranked Ottawa Senators. The Flyers still hold a two-point lead on the Capitals for the top spot in the Eastern Conference with three games in hand. However, the New Jersey Devils gave the Flyers no help against Pittsburgh, losing 1-0 via shootout. As a result, Pittsburgh moved to within two points of the Flyers for both the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference lead. Both clubs have 44 wins but the Flyers own five more regulation/OT wins and Philly has two games in hand.
Games in hand don't mean a thing unless you actually win them, of course. The Flyers can ill-afford to look past tonight's game or turn in a 20-30 effort.
The Flyers have owned the Islanders in recent years -- 4-0 this season (with one win in OT), 19-1 in the last 20 games and nine wins in the last 10 games at Nassau Coliseum. However, the majority of the games have been close and the Flyers have had rally from behind a couple of times. In addition, until recently, the Islanders had actually been playing better than the Flyers since the All-Star break. Over their first 21 games after the break, the Islanders were 12-5-4. They've won two of five games since then, and are coming off a so-so performance against the desperate Atlanta Thrashers team.
Frans Nielsen has been the most successful Islander against the Flyers this season, scoring three goals in the four games to date. John Tavares (who scored the lone Islanders goal against Atlanta) and Michael Grabner (six points in his last four game) have both been held pointless so far by Philly in the season series. For the Flyers, Jeff Carter (3 G, 2 A), Mike Richards (2 G, 3 A), Claude Giroux (5 A), Andrej Meszaros (1 G, 3 A) and Ville Leino (4 A) have all averaged at least a point-per-game in the season series to date.
Trevor Gillies has served out his latest suspension and is eligible to return to the Islanders' lineup tonight, depending on the lineup selection of Jack Capuano.
PROJECTED LINEUPS (subject to change)
FLYERS
JVR - Richards - Versteeg
Hartnell - Briere - Leino
Nodl - Giroux - Carter
Carcillo - Betts - Powe
Coburn - Timonen
Carle - Meszaros
O'Donnell - Boynton
Bobrovsky/Boucher
ISLANDERS
Moulson - Tavares - Parenteau
Grabner - Nielsen - Okposo
Martin - Bailey - Comeau
Haley/Gillies - Konopka - Joensuu
Jurcina - Martinek
Hillen - Gervais
Wishart - Hamonic
Montoya/DiPietro
****
I realize that arguing against the use of shootouts to decide tie games is fruitless. The rule is here to stay. I know that. Nevertheless, in watching the Pittsburgh Penguins score a total of one bonafide goal in their last two games yet gain four points in the standings, I felt now was as good a time as any to talk about why I despise the shootout so much (win or lose).
Click today's
Daily Drop at Versus.com for more.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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