Game 65 Preview: Flyers close homestand by hosting Blues

As the Flyers continue to push for a playoff spot, the schedule gets increasingly more difficult as they play eight of the next 11 games against Western Conference teams, many of which are securely in the playoff picture.

Thursday continues that stretch as the St. Louis Blues come to town to face the Flyers at Wells Fargo Center. The opening face-off is set for 7 p.m.

The Flyers are looking to rebound from a tough 3-2 overtime loss to the Flames on Tuesday where a disallowed goal may have cost them an extra point in the standings.

Sean Couturier has points in two straight games after scoring early in the third on Tuesday and Michael Raffl enters with a two-game points streak as well, with two assists in his last two games.

Claude Giroux picked up his 300th career assist on Tuesday, giving him 60 points on the season. Jake Voracek continues to sit on 65 points for the season, which is tied for third in the league.

The Flyers will likely use the same defensive lineup as Tuesday, with Nick Grossmann's status still in question. The only change to the lineup involves Vincent Lecavalier. Lecavalier took only one shift after the second period on Tuesday and will be a healthy scratch as Zac Rinaldo returns to the lineup.

In goal, the Flyers will start Steve Mason. Mason is 12-13-8 this season with a 2.27 GAA and .924 save percentage.

The Blues come in with a 40-18-5 record, working to chase down the top spot in the Western Conference. They trail the Nashville Predators for the Central Division lead by four points – with two games at hand – and the Anaheim Ducks for the top spot in the conference by six points – with three games at hand.

St. Louis possesses several scoring threats, none bigger than All-Star forward Vladimir Tarasenko. Tarasenko leads the team in points with 61, tied for ninth in the league. Tarasenko also has 31 goals to lead the team.

Four other forwards have over 15 goals. David Backes has 21 goals, Jaden Schwartz has 20, Alexander Steen has 19 and T.J. Oshie has 17.

Steen is second on the team with 51 points. Schwartz, Oshie and Backes have over 40 points as well.

The Blues are without top defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, on injured reserve after suffering an abdominal injury on Sunday.

St. Louis was active on Monday's trade deadline, acquiring Olli Jokinen, Robert Bortuzzo and Zbynek Michalek. Jokinen and Bortuzzo are expected to play while Michalek will be out as he works to return from a concussion.

Defensively, the Blues have one of the toughest blue lines in hockey. Even with the absence of Shattenkirk, the Blues send Alex Pietrangelo, Barret Jackman, Carl Gunnarsson and Jay Bouwmeester to defend against opposing offenses.

Brian Elliott gets the start for the Blues in goal. Elliott is 20-9-2 with a 2.20 GAA and .921 save percentage this season.