Game 31 Preview: Flyers host Panthers in final home game of 2014

The Flyers saw a five-game point streak snapped at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night. On Thursday night, they close a four-game homestand with a chance to take six of a possible eight points in those games.

The Flyers play host to the Florida Panthers in the third meeting between the two teams on Thursday night at Wells Fargo Center. The opening face-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

It's been a roller-coaster ride of late for the Flyers, who have managed points in five of the last six games with a 3-1-2 record. Despite that, the Flyers sit in 15th of 16 teams in the Eastern Conference with 27 points.

One area where the Flyers have improved is secondary scoring. Prior to their 3-1 loss on Tuesday, the Flyers had scored nine goals in the two games on the homestand, seven of them were by players other than Claude Giroux or Jake Voracek.

Giroux and Voracek continue to rank among the league leaders in points. Voracek is tied for second in the NHL with 37 points, trailing Tyler Seguin by a point. Giroux is tied for fifth with 35 points.

Wayne Simmonds and Brayden Schenn have come on of late as well to total 22 points apiece. Simmonds and Schenn lead the Flyers in goals with 14 and nine respectively.

In lineup news, Vincent Lecavalier is expected to return to the lineup on Thursday for the first time in six games. Defenseman Michael Del Zotto will sit out another game, giving the Flyers the same defensive pairs as the previous three games on the homestand.

Steve Mason will be back in goal. Mason is 6-10-4 with a 2.58 GAA and .918 save percentage.

The Panthers have been a hot team of late, posting a 6-2-2 record in their last 10 games. Their 14-8-8 record gives the Panthers 34 points for the season.

The Panthers don't have an offensive star, as Nick Bjugstad leads the team 19 points and 12 goals. Rookie defenseman Aaron Ekblad is second with 18 points and 13 assists. Jussi Jokinen has 16 points as well.

Despite their solid record, the Panthers have scored just 63 goals this season, averaging 2.2 per game. But the Panthers are also a strong defensive team, allowing 2.7 goals per game.

Roberto Luongo will be in goal for Florida. He is 11-6-6 with a 2.30 GAA and .925 save percentage.