Habs try to stay hot in home test vs. Flyers

(SportsNetwork.com) - The Montreal Canadiens will try to extend their winning streak to a season-high five games when they welcome the Philadelphia Flyers for Saturday's battle at the Bell Centre.

Montreal has won four in a row for the second time this season and the Habs are coming off Thursday's impressive victory over the rival Boston Bruins. The Canadiens slammed the visiting Bruins 5-1 and improved their home record this season to 7-2-0. They have a chance to complete a perfect four-game homestand tonight against the Flyers.

Max Pacioretty fueled Montreal's big win over last season's Presidents' Trophy winners, potting a pair of goals to help the Habs rout the B's. Pacioretty, who is leading the Canadiens in both goals (8) and points (13), recorded his first multi-goal effort since notching a hat trick against Ottawa on April 4 of last season.

Dale Weise also scored on a penalty shot, with Lars Eller and Jiri Sekac adding a tally each for the Canadiens. Carey Price came up with 21 saves for the win.

"I think we're playing better at both ends of the rink. Sometimes the goals come in bunches, but that's the game we've been searching for the last while," said Pacioretty. "Tonight really showed that, we got a couple of bounces here and there. It does a lot for our confidence."

The Canadiens last won five straight from March 22-29 of last season.

Montreal posted a 4-3 shootout win in Philadelphia on Oct. 11, giving the club only its third win in the past 10 meetings with the Flyers. The Canadiens have won two of three and three of the last five encounters at the Bell Centre.

Price will get the call in net tonight and is 9-9-0 with a 2.68 goals against average in his career against Philly.

The Flyers will try to bounce back Saturday after losing a 4-3 decision last night against visiting Columbus. James Wisniewski and Nick Foligno each scored two goals as the Blue Jackets halted a nine-game slide in Scott Hartnell's return to Philadelphia. Hartnell spent seven seasons in Philadelphia before getting shipped to Columbus in June for fellow forward R. J. Umberger and a fourth-round draft pick.

Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek and Michael Del Zotto lit the lamp for the Flyers, who had a three-game winning streak snapped. Steve Mason, a former Blue Jacket, made 34 saves.

"Yeah I don't think it was a great effort," said Mason. "We needed to be better, I just don't think we had the urgency that they did tonight."

Voracek recorded a point for his ninth straight game, tying his career best point streak. He has five goals and 12 assists during the run, and with 24 points on the season, Voracek is just one behind Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby for the league lead.

With the Flyers playing on consecutive nights, Ray Emery could get his first start in net since Oct. 30 when he surrendered four goals in a loss against Tampa Bay. Emery is 4-1-1 this season with a 2.74 GAA and is 9-7-1 with a 2.87 GAA in 17 career appearances versus the Canadiens.