Lightning  1    Flyers  4

Tampa Bay Lightning (16-16-10) at Philadelphia Flyers (21-19-3), 7 p.m.

Sports Network | January 9, 2010

(Sports Network) - The surging Philadelphia Flyers will aim for a third straight win when they welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning for tonight's battle at Wachovia Center.

The Flyers are 6-1-1 in their last seven games and exploded for 13 goals over a recent two-game span that featured wins against Toronto and the rival Pittsburgh Penguins.

Philadelphia, which seemed a long shot to make the postseason when it fired John Stevens 25 games into the season, is now just two points behind Montreal for the eighth and final playoff berth in the East.

The Flyers could get a boost in their playoff push from returning No. 1 goaltender Ray Emery, who is expected to be available for today's game after missing the last five weeks with an abdominal injury that required surgery. Emery, who is 11-8-1 with a 2.83 goals-against average this season, hasn't played since surrendering five goals against Washington on December 5.

"I've felt good for a few days now," Emery told the Flyers official Web site. "You want to come back as fast as you can, but you also want to make sure that you don't rush it and that you're ready when you get back. I think I've done both of those."

Philadelphia is expect to move forward with Emery and Michael Leighton, who is 6-0-1 since being picked up by the Flyers on waivers from Carolina last month, as its goaltending tandem. That means netminder Brian Boucher will likely be the odd-man out in that equation.

The Lightning, meanwhile, are coming off an odd situation Friday night in New Jersey as the game between Tampa Bay and the Devils at the Prudential Center was suspended after more than two hours worth of delays in a failed attempt to fix a lighting malfunction.

With 9:12 remaining in the second period and the Lightning leading 3-0, a large bank of lights behind the net defended by New Jersey's Martin Brodeur suddenly darkened while the teams were about to face off in the Devils' zone. Both teams were sent to their respective benches, and then locker rooms for an early second-period intermission once it was determined the problem could not be fixed quickly.

Representatives for both teams met with officials and determined it was not safe to try and resume play with the problem unable to be fixed. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman then gave the word that the game was to be suspended and continued at a later date.

No word was given as to when the game, the final regular-season meeting between the clubs, might be resumed. There is a possibility that the teams could meet on Sunday when both clubs have an off day.

Goals from Steven Stamkos, Brandon Bochenski and Steve Downie staked the Lightning to their 3-0 lead.

Prior to Friday's suspended game, the Lightning had lost Wednesday's 5-3 decision in Buffalo.

The Flyers slammed visiting Toronto by a 6-2 score on Wednesday and came back the following night with a 7-4 triumph in Pittsburgh.

Jeff Carter and James van Riemsdyk each posted a pair of goals as Philadelphia downed the Penguins at Mellon Arena. Matt Carle posted a goal and two assists while Mike Richards and Chris Pronger added a goal and a helper each for the Flyers.

Despite yielding four goals, Leighton proved strong in net by stopping 35 shots for his career-best seventh win of the season.

"It's a win, it's one win and we've got a lot to do. It's another step towards where we need to get to," said Flyers coach Peter Laviolette.

The Flyers are 10-9-2 as the host this year and, beginning with tonight, are finishing January with eight of their 10 games on home ice. Philly will host Dallas on Tuesday.

Philadelphia is 2-0 against the Lightning this year and has outscored Tampa by a combined 11-4 margin in those contests. The Flyers have won three straight and four of five overall in the series and the Bolts have dropped two in a row and three of their last four in Philly.