(Sports Network) - After splitting two games on the road to begin the season, the Philadelphia Flyers start up a season-long five-game homestand this evening against the Colorado Avalanche at the Wells Fargo Center.
The Flyers, who will raise their Eastern Conference champions banner before the game, opened their season last Thursday with a 3-2 victory at Pittsburgh before falling 2-1 in overtime on Saturday in St. Louis. Danny Briere scored for the second time in as many games to tie the contest in the third period, then nearly won it in overtime.
However, Briere's shot rang off the right post and the Blues' Carlo Colaiacovo blasted a shot past Brian Boucher on the counter rush at 1:47 of overtime.
In his first start of the season, Boucher ended with 23 saves. It is unknown if Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette will stick with Boucher tonight or go with Sergei Bobrovsky, who beat the Penguins in his NHL debut.
"I would have liked to win, I always do," said Boucher. "I don't think I can sit here and critique my game that much to the point where I feel like I cost the game. I felt strong and that I played well enough to win, but it just didn't happen."
Boucher has never beaten the Avalanche, going 0-6-0 with a pair of ties and 2.97 goals-against average in nine games, including six starts.
Philadelphia went 0-for-5 on the power play versus the Blues while also facing 10 short-handed situations. St. Louis' regulation goal came on the man advantage.
Defenseman Chris Pronger missed his second game for the Flyers as he continues to recover from offseason knee surgery. He is questionable to return tonight.
The Avalanche would probably rather see Pronger miss another game tonight as they look to build off of their season-opening 4-3 victory over the defending Stanley Cup-champion Blackhawks. Paul Stastny scored in regulation and later netted the game-winning goal 3:40 into overtime.
"It's good to start the season with a win," said Stastny. "We had to create our own chances and we wanted to get the victory."
Chris Stewart and Matt Duchene also scored in regulation for the Avalanche, who tonight begin the first of two season-long five-game road trips this season.
Craig Anderson allowed three goals on 38 shots in the win. He is 3-1-0 with a 2.73 GAA in four career games versus the Flyers, while Stastny has three goals and four assists in four career games against them.
Briere has three goals and four assists over his last four games versus the Avalanche, including two tallies and a pair of assists in last year's 5-4 setback in Colorado on Nov. 23.
That victory was the sixth by the Avs in their last seven games against the Flyers. Colorado has also won three of the last four played in Philadelphia.