PREVIEW (11:45 AM)

One of these days, the New York Islanders will beat the Philadelphia Flyers again. The Flyers need to make sure that the Isles will have to wait at least until next fall to break their run of futility against Philly. Tonight, the Flyers will look for their 16th consecutive win (and, more important, two points in the standings) against the Islanders.

Two -- as in a two-goal lead -- is the magic number when playing the Isles. New York is the only team in the NHL that has not come back to win a single game this season when trailing a game by two goals. When trailing first, the Islanders are 9-27-4 (ranked 25th in the NHL). The Flyers have little to gloat about in that category, either, as they have an even lower winning percentage (.233, 7-23-0, ranked 28th in the NHL) when giving up the game's first goal. They have, of course, had success against the Islanders under any circumstances, even when New York scores first. But Philly doesn't want to tempt fate.

Flyers lineup (subject to change)

Hartnell - Richards - Giroux
Gagne - Briere - Leino
JVR - Powe - Asham
Cote - Betts - Laperriere

Carle - Pronger
Timonen - Krajicek
Bartulis - Parent

Boucher
[Duchesne]

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The Flyers have been taking baby steps toward repairing the depleted and talent-starved farm system. With no first- or second-round picks in this year's draft, the club has been heavily scouring the ranks of undrafted collegiate, overage junior and undrafted European players. The latest signing is undersized but highly skilled Northern Michigan defenseman Erik Gustafsson.

Also, after Euroflyer posted on his Twitter account that the Flyers intend to bring one of their own Euro draftees -- Andrei Popov -- over for next season, I asked a Flyers team source about it. He confirmed that the club "would like to see what Popov can do" in North America (probably first with the Phantoms) but stopped short of calling it a virtual lock even though Popov is not bound by a KHL contract for next season. Popov is clearly another skilled player, but the question is whether his KHL game will transfer well to North America. He'll be 22 at the start of next season and has four pro seasons under his belt, so the time is right for him to make his move if he's serious about the NHL.

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