Two of NHL’s best rookies meeting as Flyers host Vancouver Canucks

Two of the NHL’s top rookies, Vancouver center Elias Pettersson and Flyers goalie Carter Hart, will oppose each other Monday night at the Wells Fargo Center.

Pettersson, 20, was chosen fifth overall in the 2017 draft, three selections after the Flyers took Nolan Patrick. The Sweden native is the overwhelming rookie-of-the-year favorite. He leads NHL rookies in goals (23), assists (23, tied for No. 1), points (46), plus-minus rating (plus-14), power-play goals (6), power-play points (13), and game-winning goals (7).

Among rookies who have played at least 15 games, Hart, 20, is tops in goals-against average (2.58) and save percentage (.921) and second in wins (9). Recalled from the minors Dec. 17, he was named the league’s rookie of the month in January.

Selected in the second round (48th overall) of the 2016 draft, Hart has won six straight. Only three goalies in NHL history have had longer winning streaks before their 21st birthday, topped by Quebec’s Jocelyn Thibault , who won eight straight from March 6-26, 1995. Buffalo’s Tom Barrasso (Dec. 23, 1984 to Jan. 5, 1985) and Montreal’s Carey Price (March 20 to April 5, 2008) each won seven in a row before turning 21.

During his six-game streak, Hart has a 2.63 GAA and .926 save percentage. He was named the NHL’s No. 2 star of the week Monday after going 3-0 with a 2.27 GAA and .931 save percentage in three games. (Winnipeg center Jack Roslovic, who had five goals and an assists over four games, was the week’s No. 1 star.)

The Flyers have won seven straight, the NHL’s longest current streak, and have climbed to within seven points of a playoff spot. The Canucks have won three of their last four.

“Guys are going all-out right now, and we want to keep this thing rolling,” Hart said after the Flyers overcame a 4-2, third-period deficit and rallied past Edmonton on Saturday, 5-4, in overtime. “”It’s been a lot of fun and we’re going to do everything we can to keep things rolling.”

The Flyers power play had four goals in Saturday’s win and is 6 for 7 over the last two games, enabling the unit to jump from 31st (last) in the NHL to 23rd.

A victory Monday would give the Flyers their 16th winning streak of at least eight games in franchise history.

Vancouver will be a difficult challenge. The Canucks whipped the Flyers, 5-1 (with an empty-net goal), on Dec. 15, and they are coming off an impressive 5-1 victory in Colorado.

The Flyers will aim for the 2,000th win in franchise history Monday. When they get that victory, they will become the first team from the 1967-68 expansion to reach the milestone. They have 161 more wins than the next expansion-era team on the list, St. Louis. ... Claude Giroux will move into third place in franchise history in games played (791) on Monday. ... Injured forward Sven Baertschi (eight goals in 22 games) will be replaced in Vancouver’s lineup by Tim Schaller (no goals in 34 games). ... Jacob Markstrom (2.79 GAA, .910 save percentage) will start for the Canucks. ... Hart became the sixth Flyers goalie to receive a star of the week since the NHL started the award, joining Brian Elliott, Ilya Bryzgalov, Marty Biron, Michael Leighton, and Steve Mason.