Game 60: Flyers at Senators; Flyers Get Modry

Philadelphia Flyers: 30-24-5, 65 points
Ottawa Senators: 34-20-5, 73 points

Martin Biron v. Ray Emery

The Flyers head back to Canada and their nation's capital to try and stop the losing slide at seven. It will obviously be a tough task as the Senators are the best team in the East and have been for quite some time. After their acquisitions of Mike Commodore and Cory Stillman, they got even better. The Flyers are 2-0-0 against Ottawa this year, and have really stepped up their play to meet the challenge.

Martin Biron will start in net after getting the entire weekend off. Niittymaki played well in the first game earning him Sunday's start, but didn't build on the momentum. Who will get hot again?

The Senators are still at the top of the conference, but they've hit a pothole themselves. They've lost three straight games, including a blowout at the hands of the Sabres and a home and home sweep by New Jersey. They have the scoring talent to get out of it, but this is not the time to be slumping with Montreal right on their tail now.

Tonight, the Flyers not only have to deal with a tough team while on a bad losing streak, they have to deal with a ton of lineup changes. It seems like a player or two go down every game. You've lost Gagne, Lupul, Upshall, Downie, Tolpeko, Coburn and Hatcher for a while in this most recent stretch, and it really hurts guys to not be playing with the same teammates every night. Defensemen need cohesiveness with a pairing partner to position themselves correctly and chemistry among forwards can lead to a lot of goals. Claude Giroux will make his NHL debut tonight, and John Stevens might be hoping he can spark Briere into doing great things again.

Bill Meltzer tries to post the scratches, but he probably doesn't know much more than you or me.

ESPN and probably dozens of other sources inform us that the Flyers have traded a 3rd rounder to LA for Jaroslav Modry.

Modry has never been a huge offensive threat. He's only scored double digit goals once and his power play time has been reduced over the years. He's not a big hitter or shut down defenseman either, but he does bring experience and the ability to move the puck. His contract expires after this season, so it's not a bad band-aid to patch up this ailing defense.