The Flyers have won seven of their last eight games since the holiday break and get a test in the NHL's leading team, the Boston Bruins, on Monday afternoon.
The Flyers enter Thursday's game in a four-game losing streak though, and now get the test of facing the NHL's best team in the standings. The Boston Bruins come in with a 14-2-0 record and wins in four straight games.
After taking a sizable shot advantage in the first period, the Flyers were out-shot, 24-13, for the remainder of the game and out-scored, 4-0, in their third straight defeat in the preseason against the Bruins.
Two goals in the third period extended the Boston lead to a 5-2 margin, the final from Wells Fargo Center as the Flyers closed out a three-game homestand.
The Flyers are 6-0 after a loss this season. They face another of those situations, as the Flyers welcome the Boston Bruins back to Philadelphia for the second time this season on Saturday night.
Less than 24 hours before the trade deadline, the Flyers were left with a stunning defeat to the Buffalo Sabres, the NHL lowest team in the standings, handed a loss by lowly Buffalo for the second time in two weeks. It was the most fitting of endings for a team that has continued to get in their own way all season.
The Sabres tied the game with 3:03 left after an icing by the Flyers, then scored again with 2:38 to play to take the lead away from the Flyers in a matter of 25 seconds. Buffalo also managed the empty-netter to secure the 5-3 result on Sunday afternoon at Wells Fargo Center.
The Flyers take the ice again on Sunday afternoon, this time to face the Buffalo Sabres. A win could move them back to within two points of the Boston Bruins for the final playoff spot in the East, pending the result of Boston's game later on Sunday night.