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Mrazek set for Flyers' debut versus Blue Jackets (Feb 21, 2018)
Newly acquired goaltender Petr Mrazek is expected to make his Philadelphia debut Thursday night when the Flyers host the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The 26-year-old Mrazek was acquired Monday night when the Flyers sent two conditional draft picks to the Detroit Red Wings after Michal Neuvirth joined fellow goalie Brian Elliott on the disabled list.
"It's a new chapter, a new life, and I'm looking forward to it," Mrazek told Philly.com on Tuesday after arriving at the Wells Fargo Center.
Mrazek joins a surging Flyers team that has won three straight and earned points in nine games in a row (7-0-2).
On Tuesday night, Jakub Voracek tied the game late and then scored 1:26 into overtime to give Philadelphia (31-19-10) a 3-2 home win against the Montreal Canadiens. Voracek added his 55th assist, tops in the NHL.
For the third straight game, Philadelphia did not have to kill a penalty.
"I don't think we've dominated puck possession over the last couple games, but when we haven't had it, we've worked hard to get it back the right way," Philadelphia coach Dave Hakstol told NHL.com. "At this time of year, it's about moving your feet, trying to get above plays and trying to check the right way."
The Flyers moved two points ahead of the New Jersey Devils for third place in the Metropolitan Division. With Mrazek serving as his backup, Alex Lyon made 25 saves for his second NHL win.
Philadelphia trails the second-place Pittsburgh Penguins by two points and the Washington Capitals by three points in the Metropolitan.
"We're done looking behind us, we're looking ahead of us now," Voracek told NHL.com. "I think we've got to a spot where we can look ahead of us. We're looking at Pittsburgh and Washington now."
Columbus (30-25-5) also won Tuesday night, snapping a three-game losing streak (0-2-1) when it defeated the New Jersey Devils 2-1 at Prudential Center.
Boone Jenner and Scott Harrington scored and Sergei Bobrovsky made 30 saves for the Blue Jackets, who moved into the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders.
"Bobrovsky played really well, especially in the second period where we turned some pucks over and didn't give ourselves a chance to forecheck," Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella told NHL.com. "He made some key saves there. He's a good goalie and we all know that. He certainly was a big part of it tonight."
The Blue Jackets won despite being outshot 31-19.
"I don't care how we do it, it's two points," Tortorella told the Columbus Dispatch. "I don't think we gave them much. As I've said before, you win games in different ways. We have lost games when we have been lights out and tonight we win when we had struggles. You take the two points and get the hell out of town."
The teams have split a pair of 2-1 decisions. Columbus won on Dec. 23 as Bobrovsky stopped 30 shots in regulation and overtime before going 3-for-3 in the shootout.
Last week, the Flyers won 2-1 in Columbus on Sean Couturier's goal at 1:52 of overtime.
Bobrovsky has a sterling 9-2-1 career mark against the Flyers with a 1.81 goals-against average and .938 save percentage.
Mrazek is 1-3-1, 2.79, .913 versus Columbus.
