NHL schedule: Five questions for Wednesday

Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

A daily feature which asks the five hardest-hitting questions imaginable about this day in the NHL. Will our quandaries be answered? (That doesn't count as one of the five questions.)

1. Will Ilya Bryzgalov carry the Philadelphia Flyers to victory?

Coming into Wednesday night's game against the New Jersey Devils, Bryzgalov stated that the Flyers wouldn't be able to lose both games of this upcoming home-and-home with the Devils and expect to make the playoffs.

He's probably right.

With that in mind, will Bryzgalov rise to the occasion by shutting down the Devils' offense? Defense is obviously a team game (and the Flyers haven't been living up to their end of the bargain) but will Bryzgalov stand out with a notable performance?

2. Will Sean Couturier end his cold-streak?

Sophomore slump is a phrase that has been used heavily in regards to Couturier, lately. Largely considered a defensive-minded forward at this point in his career, Couturier is not expected to produce a copious amount of points.

Of course he is expected to record some.

Over the course of his last nine games, Couturier has recorded a grand total of zero points. In addition, he has gone 19 straight without a goal. Will he end either drought tonight?

3. Will the Devils continue their domination of the Flyers?

Entering Wednesday night, the Devils have won six straight against Philadelphia, as well as eight of their last 10. With New Jersey struggling of late, can they turn the tide against their Atlantic Division rivals?

4. Will the Montreal Canadiens extend their winning streak to four games?

The Northeast Division has quickly developed into one of the most competitive groupings in the NHL. With the Canadiens set to square off against the Ottawa Senators, can the Habs extend their three-game swing to four? Ottawa currently sits seven points back of Montreal for the division lead and hope to pull away from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

5. How will Valtteri Filppula fare in his return on Wednesday night?

Filppula hasn't played since Feb. 24, but he is expected to play on Wednesday night. As we've seen in other instances, some key players have notable return games (looking at you Evgeni Malkin). How will Filppula do on Wednesday night?