Flyers Could be Peaking at Right Time

VOORHEES — With 20 games remaining on the Flyers’ schedule, they don’t just still have a pulse; they could be on the verge of a surge that propels them back into the playoffs after missing out last season.

Their last two wins have come without Jake Voracek, the team’s second leading scorer. They’ve also won without captain Claude Giroux and survived a stretch of 12 of 14 games without No. 2 center Sean Couturier.

“I wouldn’t only say we’re confident, but we’re ready,” rookie phenom Shayne Gostisbehere said. “We know what’s at hand every night. We’re not taking any nights off. We can’t afford it. If we’re going into overtime or a shootout, we need points. We need two points every night.”

It also helps when opposing teams don’t. The Pittsburgh Penguins had a game in hand on the Flyers until Tuesday night when they lost to the Washington Capitals. The Flyers remain three points back of their cross-state rivals for the last wild card spot.

“You realize what the other teams are doing and what the scores are but you just have to worry about yourself and what your next game is,” alternate captain Mark Streit said. “That’s (Thursday) against Edmonton. That’s a huge game like every other, but we have a good feeling in the room here and play with a lot of confidence going in the right direction.”

Perhaps the biggest thing the Flyers feel they have going in their direction is their reaction to in-game adversity.