(Sports Network) - The Philadelphia Flyers hope to stop their franchise- record losing streak tonight, when they visit the Tampa Bay Lightning at St. Pete Times Forum.
The Flyers have dropped 10 straight contests and will now face a team that has owned the series in recent years. Tampa Bay is 2-0 against the Flyers this season and has won 10 straight and 11 of the last 12 regular-season meetings. Philly has also dropped five straight at the Forum during that stretch.
The Lightning also beat the Flyers in seven games during the 2004 Eastern Conference finals. Tampa Bay won a seven-game series over Calgary that year to earn the franchise's first-ever Stanley Cup championship.
The Flyers were handed their most recent loss Wednesday night at Florida, as Rostislav Olesz posted a goal and an assist and Ed Belfour made 23 saves to lead the Panthers to the 3-1 victory.
Kyle Calder scored the lone goal for Philadelphia, which saw its road-losing streak extend to five games. Wednesday's game marked the start of an eight- game road trip for the Flyers, who are 5-13-0 as the visitor this season.
Philadelphia netminder Antero Niittymaki made 22 saves through the first two periods before taking himself out with a strained hip. Niittymaki was replaced by Robert Esche, who yielded a goal on nine shots in the third period. It was Esche's first action since he underwent surgery on his right hip last month.
The Flyers did receive some good news as their captain Peter Forsberg returned to the lineup on Wednesday. Forsberg missed three games after suffering a concussion on an open-ice hit by Alexander Ovechkin in a December 16 loss to Washington.
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The Flyers have dropped 10 straight contests and will now face a team that has owned the series in recent years. Tampa Bay is 2-0 against the Flyers this season and has won 10 straight and 11 of the last 12 regular-season meetings. Philly has also dropped five straight at the Forum during that stretch.
The Lightning also beat the Flyers in seven games during the 2004 Eastern Conference finals. Tampa Bay won a seven-game series over Calgary that year to earn the franchise's first-ever Stanley Cup championship.
The Flyers were handed their most recent loss Wednesday night at Florida, as Rostislav Olesz posted a goal and an assist and Ed Belfour made 23 saves to lead the Panthers to the 3-1 victory.
Kyle Calder scored the lone goal for Philadelphia, which saw its road-losing streak extend to five games. Wednesday's game marked the start of an eight- game road trip for the Flyers, who are 5-13-0 as the visitor this season.
Philadelphia netminder Antero Niittymaki made 22 saves through the first two periods before taking himself out with a strained hip. Niittymaki was replaced by Robert Esche, who yielded a goal on nine shots in the third period. It was Esche's first action since he underwent surgery on his right hip last month.
The Flyers did receive some good news as their captain Peter Forsberg returned to the lineup on Wednesday. Forsberg missed three games after suffering a concussion on an open-ice hit by Alexander Ovechkin in a December 16 loss to Washington.
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