Laughton, Flyers trying to keep streak alive, gain ground in playoff race

After missing seven games with a concussion, rookie center Scott Laughton will return to the lineup Thursday and try to help the Flyers get over .500 for the first time in two-plus months.

The Flyers (22-22-7), who host the New York Islanders, haven't had a points percentage over .500 since Nov. 14, when they were 7-6-2.

"It's the next step, obviously," winger Jake Voracek said of climbing over .500.

Laughton said it was difficult not being on the ice.

"It's been tough," he said after Thursday's morning skate. "My parents came down a couple times to keep me company and stuff like that.  We'd just hang out and go out to dinners. It's nice to be back and be back in the room and in workouts. This week really helped me."

Laughton will center Ryan White and Wayne Simmonds as the Flyers try for their first five-game winning streak since March.

"The first couple shifts, I'm going to try to get my wind under me, and then go from there," Laughton said, "Just going to try to be physical early on and get myself into the game, and we'll see where it goes from there."

Despite winning four straight, the Flyers are still 10 points out of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.

"That's the tough part some times," Vinny Lecavalier said. "Other teams are doing well, and that's why they're where they are at. We have to find a way to win more, and once you get a little closer, maybe teams start to get a little nervous."

"We just have to focus on ourselves every game," Voracek said. "…Just make sure we bring it every night."

Luukko joining Panthers.  Fourteen months after he resigned as the Flyers' president, Peter Luukko is joining the Florida Panthers as executive chairman.

"He's looking for a challenge," a source told the Miami Herald. "The Panthers are a challenge."

Luukko, 55, will be working for a franchise that has missed the playoffs in 13 of the last 14 years.

Breakaways. The Flyers are 17-1-2 at home against the Islanders since 2007…..After tonight, the Flyers go on a four-game road trip, facing Washington, Montreal, Columbus and Buffalo……Claude Giroux has 35 points (9 goals, 26 points) in 31 career games against the Isles…..John Tavares has 23 points (13 goals, 10 points) in 28 games against the Flyers….Luke Schenn leads the Flyers with 143 hits, and Nick Schultz tops the team with 95 blocked shots….Michael Del Zotto will take a career-best six-game points streak into tonight….The Flyers are 6-20-6 when scoring fewer than four goals, and 16-2-1 when scoring four or more.

Follow Sam Carchidi on Twitter @BroadStBull.