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Flyers' Wayne Simmonds: 'Happy to be back with my boys'

RALEIGH, N.C  -- Flyers right winger Wayne Simmonds returned from Sunday's all-star game -- he became the first Flyer to win the MVP award at the event since Reggie Leach in 1980 -- and is looking forward to the final two-plus months of the season.

"It was a good experience; it was awesome," Simmonds said after Tuesday's morning skate in Raleigh. "I'm happy to be back with my boys, though."

Simmonds said he "cherished" the all-star experience, "but it's over with, and it's back to business now."

The Flyers, who hold the second wild-card spot, will play in Carolina on Tuesday night. They have 32 games left.

"We still have a lot of work to do, but like G (Claude Giroux) said, we're comfortable with the position we're in," said Simmonds, who has a team-high 21 goals. "If you would have told us we would be fighting for a playoff spot in the beginning of year, I think we would have taken it. With 32 games left, all the cards are in our hand. We just have to make sure we keep playing the way we were before the break and just make sure we're competing on every single shift."

Goalie matchup. Steve Mason, who is 16-15-6 with a 2.84 goals-against average and .902 save percentage, will face the Hurricanes' Cam Ward (18-16-6, 2.61, .906).

Mason has excelled in his career against the Hurricanes, compiling an 8-3-1 record, a 2.01 goals-against average, and a .933 save percentage.

Ward has been less than stellar against the Flyers: 10-11-4 record, 2.78 GAA, and .901 save percentage.

Ghost story. Shayne Gostisbehere has four goals and three assists in six career games against Carolina.

Breakaways. Brayden Schenn leads the NHL with 11 power-play goals; he has eight of the team's last eight PP scores. ... Simmonds has goals in his last three games. He said he's not sure who will get the truck he won for being named the all-star MVP, but he plans to give it away. ... Mason needs three games to pass Doug Favell on the all-time list of games played by a Flyers goalie.