5 THINGS: Flyers vs. Sabres

WILD CARD TRACKER
1. NYR: 86 pts, 16 games remaining
2. NYI: 71 pts, 18 games remaining
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3. TOR: 70 pts, 18 games remaining
4. FLA: 69 pts, 18 games remaining
5. TBL: 69 pts, 17 games remaining
6. PHI: 68 pts, 18 games remaining
7. BUF: 66 pts, 16 games remaining
1. PLAYING THE POINTS GAME
The Flyers have earned points in three straight games, going 2-0-1, and are looking to pick up at least a point in four straight games for the first since since their 10-game winning streak from Nov. 27-Dec. 14… The Sabres have earned points in five of their last six home games, going 3-1-2… A Flyers win would put them within one point of the final wild card, while a Sabres regulation win would tie them with the Flyers and place them three points back, pending results of other games)… Of the six teams fighting for the final wild card position, five are in action tonight with only Tampa Bay idle.
2. OPPOSITE ENDS
The Sabres come into tonight's game tied for the NHL lead with the best power play, operating at 22.9 percent and are tied for third with the most power-play goals (46)… They have scored on the man advantage in each of their last three games, going 4-for-12… Buffalo also has one of the NHL's worst penalty killing units, raking 29th at 76.3 percent, however come into tonight's game going perfect on the PK in eight of their last 10 games, killing off 23 of their last 25 penalties.

3. GIVE ME A MINUTE
The Flyers are led by rookie defenseman, Ivan Provorov, who has logged over 24 minutes of ice time in two straight games and averages 21:43 per-game, which also ranks second among all NHL rookies… Sabres defenseman, Rasmus Ristolainen, leads the team and is ranked third among all NHL players averaging 27:00 of ice time per-game… Sabres center, Ryan O'Reilly leads all NHL forwards in average TOI, logging 21:43 per-game.
4. THIS, THAT & THE OTHER
THIS: This is the third and final meeting of the season between the two teams with each team winning on home ice, while the Flyers have dropped two straight games at Buffalo.
THAT: Ryan O'Reilly & Jack Eichel are tied for the Sabres lead with 24 points playing on home ice, while Claude Giroux & Wayne Simmonds are tied for the Flyers lead with 21 points on the road.
THE OTHER: The Flyers are tied for third in the NHL in most games past regulation (20), while the Sabres are right behind them at 19.
5. PLAYERS TO WATCH:
FLYERS (G: #35 - Steve Mason)
Should he get the start, it will be his fourth straight for the Flyers after not playing in a six-game span from Feb. 11-25… Mason is 2-0-1 and has stopped 94 of 97 shots to earn a 0.96 GAA and a .969 save pct. in that stretch… He appeared in both games against the Sabres this year, posting a 2.09 GAA, while also owning a lifetime record of 5-4-1 against Buffalo… Mason is eight wins shy of 200 in his NHL career.
SABRES (C: #15 - Jack Eichel)
Eichel is the hottest player in the NHL right now, currently riding a career-high, 10-game point streak with 13 points (3g-10a) in those 10 games… The streak is the longest active streak in the NHL and two games shy of the NHL's 2016-17 season high streak owned by Mikael Granlund… He is two points off of being atop the Sabres leaderboard in overall scoring with 42 points (16g-26a) despite playing just 45 games this season… Eichel also averages over a point-per-game at home with 24 points (8g-16a) in 23 home games.
TODAY AT 50
On March 7, 1993… En route to setting a Flyers single-season point record (123 points), Mark Recchi reaches the 100-point mark for the 1992-93 season in the Flyers' 66th game of the season. Recchi scores two goals in the third period to trim a 4-1 deficit against the New Jersey Devils down to 4-3 (the Devils ultimately prevail, 7-3). Recchi's two goals give him 43 on the season.
QUICK STATS
Season Series: 1-1-0
All-Time Record: 172 gp (85-61-20-7)
Leading Scorers:
PHI: 52pts, Voracek (17g-35a)
WSH: 44pts, O'Reilly (16g-28a)
Power Play: (PHI: 46-for-221, 21.4%, T-11th) (BUF: 46-for-201, 22.0%, T-1st)
Penalty Kill: (PHI: 158-of-194, 81.4%, 13th) (BUF: 148-for-194, 76.3%, 29th)