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5 things to know about the Flyers today

Five things to know about the Flyers (16-10-3) as they aim for their eighth straight win Saturday, facing visiting Dallas (11-11-6) at 1 p.m.:

1. Getting engaged agrees with Claude Giroux. In the five games since his engagement, Giroux has four goals, eight points and is plus-9. All four goals are at even-strength. Before that, he had one even-strength goal in his previous 36 games, including the playoffs.

2. Early in Thursday's dramatic 6-5 win over Edmonton, defenseman Radko Gudas was caught up ice, leading to a two-on-one that produced an Oilers goal. But Gudas, who missed the previous three games because of the flu, played well the rest of the night. He blocked three shots, was plus-3, and his pass set up Giroux's game-tying goal with 7:49 left.

3. It was an emotional return Thursday for Kerstin Pietsch-Somnell, who was Pelle Lindbergh's fiancee at the time of his death in 1985. She traveled from Sweden to be at the game as the Flyers honored the best goalies in the franchise's history.

4. If Steve Mason starts Saturday - and I have the suspicion he will - it will be the 13th time in the last 14 games. He has won six straight, helping the Flyers climb into third place in the Metropolitan Division.

5. Dallas is one of two NHL teams that has allowed more goals than the Flyers. The Stars have surrendered 3.18 goals per game to the Flyers' 3.10. The Flyers' offense (3.21 per game) has been much more consistent than the Stars' (2.57).