David Krejci

The two teams split the games earlier in the week with the Flyers winning on Monday night in overtime, then falling in regulation on Tuesday. That loss certainly felt like the final nail in the coffin on the Flyers playoff hopes, but if they are to make any bid at getting back in the race, a regulation win on Saturday against Boston is a must. 

The Flyers got a third-period power play in a tie game with a chance to grab the lead. Instead, they gave it away, allowing a shorthanded goal to Brad Marchand that proved to be the game-winner in a 4-2 loss to the Bruins at Wells Fargo Center.

The Flyers and Bruins meet again on Tuesday night, this time in Philadelphia, to complete the home-and-home and the second of three matchups this week that could ultimately determine the standings for good. For the Flyers, it's another must just to keep pace.

If the Flyers still want to believe a playoff push is truly possible, these next two games against the Boston Bruins are their season. If the Flyers win both in regulation, they will move into a tie with the Bruins, though Boston would still hold the edge with two games in hand. Still, the pressure would be on for both sides. But a loss to Boston in either game essentially answered the big, looming question for the Flyers regarding their trade deadline approach. The first game gets going on Monday night.

The stage is set for Friday night at Wells Fargo Center, when the Flyers and Bruins meet again for the fourth time this season already. After going 0-1-2 in the first three, the Flyers are looking to get back on the right side of the results. Game time is at 7 p.m.

The problem is that the Boston Bruins are a good team too, so if you are going to live by the mantra that good teams find a way to win, better teams find a way to exploit that. The Flyers finally paid for their flaws this season, and now it is on them to learn from it.

Facing the Bruins again should be another test for the Flyers. Boston sits one point behind the Flyers in the standings with a 6-1-2 record in nine games. Game time is 8 p.m.

Two nights after letting a two-goal lead slip away in the third and falling in a shootout, the Flyers take on the Boston Bruins again on Saturday night at 7 p.m.

As they open their schedule at home, the Bruins look to get back into the win column against a Flyers team still trying to find their footing as well and with a lot of new parts to the lineup. The Flyers and Bruins face off on Thursday night at 7 p.m.

The first test for the Flyers comes in the Round Robin opener against the Boston Bruins, a team that was running away with the President's Trophy at the time of the pause. Game time is at 3 p.m.