Flyers try to continue uncanny success in Pittsburgh; Mark Streit returns from emotional trip

PITTSBURGH - The Flyers will try to continue their uncanny success Wednesday in Pittsburgh.

They are 12-2-1 since the Consol Energy Center opened in 2010-11, including a 10-1-1 regular-season record.  On Oct. 22, they beat the Penguins, 5-3, in their only other game in Pittsburgh this season.

"It's pretty fun to wake up, knowing you're going to play the Penguins," center Claude Giroux said.

"Even before I got here, league-wide it's well known that there are some great games among these two teams," goalie Steve Mason said. "I won't say that we're in their heads because they're a great team, but I will say that there's definitely some tension among the teams that makes the games fun to be a part of."

Despite playing well, Mason has just one win in 19 road games this season.

"It really is unbelievable. You know, it's a disappointing number to have," said Mason, whose team has scored just two goals in 17 of his 19 road games. "You just try and find positives. Overall, I think (my) play's been pretty consistent. Sometimes there are factors you can't control . . . you just can't let affect you. It'll be nice to get one or two before the season's over."

Coach Craig Berube was asked if facing the arch-rival Penguins twice in five days was a good way for his team to try and get rid of its frustrations.

"You hope. I mean, I want our players to go out there and play with a lot of emotion and energy every game," he said. "To play good hockey, you need emotion and energy in your game, and Pittsburgh brings that out, that's for sure."

Streit's ordeal. After spending a day in Switzerland with his ailing 99-year-old grandmother, defenseman Mark Streit was at the Flyers' practice Tuesday in Voorhees and will be in the lineup Wednesday.

For Streit, it was an emotional journey to his homeland. He said he wanted to be there to "say bye" to his beloved grandmother.

"It's been a rough few weeks for me. My grandma is not doing well and it was great to go home and say bye to her," Streit said. "She was always a big inspiration in my life and my career. I talk to her a lot throughout the season. It was tough, but I'm really happy Hexy (GM Ron Hextall) let me go home and take care of her and see her one last time."

Shorthanded Penguins. The Penguins will dress just five defensemen for the second straight game because of injuries to Kris Letang (concussion) and Christian Ehrhoff (upper body).

Vinny Lecavalier said the Flyers' strategy will be to "make them skate as much as possible, make them go back for every puck. Be physical on them. It could be draining on them in the third period, so we have to make sure we take advantage of that."

Pittsburgh cannot make an emergency call-up because of a full roster. In addition, it cannot use a long-term injured reserve designation on Ehrhoff or Letang _ which would force them to miss10 games or 24 days _ because there are less than 10 games left.

If there were 10 or more games remaining, the Penguins could use the LTIR to gain temporary salary-cap relief to recall a defenseman from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Breakaways. Columbus moved ahead of the Flyers Tuesday in the overall standings. The Flyers now have the league's seventh-worst record and, if they remained there, would have a 6.5 percent chance at winning the draft lottery. They are two points ahead of New Jersey.

Follow Sam Carchidi on Twitter @BroadStBull.