Carolina Hurricanes (8-17-3) at Philadelphia Flyers (10-13-5), 1 p.m. (ET)
(SportsNetwork.com) - The Carolina Hurricanes hope to use their recent success against the Philadelphia Flyers to end a four-game slide, as the Metropolitan Division rivals meet Saturday in the City of Brotherly Love.
Carolina has lost four straight in regulation and dropped the opener of a three-game road trip Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Hurricanes have scored just one goal in each of their last four games, but the club was able to dial up the offense at a prolific rate the last time they visited Philadelphia.
The 'Canes won all four meetings against the Flyers in 2013-14, culminating the season series sweep with a 6-5 shootout win at the Wells Fargo Center on April 13. The victory pushed Carolina's record in Philly to 3-1-1 over the last five meetings.
The Flyers, however, enter this afternoon's tilt playing their best hockey in a while. Philadelphia, which hasn't put together consecutive wins since early November, has posted victories in two of its last three games and also is on a four-game point streak (2-0-2).
Philadelphia earned a 4-1 win in its most recent outing, beating the New Jersey Devils in the opener of a four-game stay at Wells Fargo Center. Matt Read and Sean Couturier picked up a goal and assist each to lead the Flyers to a much-needed win.
Read recorded just his third goal of the season and also ended an eight-game point drought. He had 22 goals and 18 assists in 75 games for the Flyers last season, and hopes Thursday's performance can get his offensive game back on track.
"Just keep doing the little things right and eventually something's going to go your way," Read noted. "It's good to get one but you have to work hard every night and do the little things right and do the little things to help your team win."
Wayne Simmonds and Jakub Voracek also lit the lamp for the Flyers, who kicked off their final homestand of calendar year 2014. After Craig Berube's club finishes this homestand it will head out on an eight-game road trip before finally returning to South Philly on Jan. 6 to face Ottawa.
Claude Giroux and Mark Streit chipped in a pair of assists to back a 17-save effort by Ray Emery.
Steve Mason is expected to man the crease today for the Flyers. He is 5-2-1 with a 2.00 goals against average in eight career games against Carolina.
The Hurricanes also were last in action on Thursday when they dropped a 2-1 decision to the Lightning. It was a tough loss for Carolina, which was tied with Tampa heading into the final minute of regulation before Nikita Kucherov supplied the game-winner for the hosts with 30.3 seconds left.
Kucherov's second goal of the contest was a fluke deflection. He appeared to attempt a pass across from the left circle, but the puck instead changed direction off the skate of Hurricanes defenseman Ron Hainsey in the slot and slid over the goal line.
Justin Faulk tallied and Cam Ward made 25 saves for the Hurricanes, who have lost three games by one-goal margins during their current 0-4 slide.
"We should've capitalized on more than just the one goal," said Ward.
Carolina, which will cap its swing Tuesday in Montreal, fell to 3-10-2 as the visiting team.
Ward could start again today despite owning a 5-10-3 mark and 3.16 GAA in his career against Philadelphia. Fellow Carolina backstop Anton Khudobin is 4-1-0 with a 2.54 GAA in five career outings versus the Flyers.
The Hurricanes enter Saturday last in the Metro -- six points behind the Flyers.