(My Sportsbook) - The Atlanta Thrashers will aim for their fourth consecutive victory this evening, when they welcome the Philadelphia Flyers for a battle at Philips Arena.

Atlanta comes into tonight's contest tied with Carolina for first place in the Southeast Division at 56 points apiece. The Hurricanes will also be in action tonight as they make a stop in Nashville.

The Thrashers can also tie a season high for consecutive victories with another win tonight. Atlanta had posted four-game winning streaks from November 13-21 and from December 18-23.

However, Atlanta will be playing a team tonight that it has had little success against in recent years. The Flyers have won eight straight and 11 of the last 12 meetings against the Thrashers and Philly also taken six in a row at Philips Arena. The Thrashers' last win over the Flyers came in Philadelphia on November 18, 2005.

Atlanta's most recent victory came in Washington on Saturday night. Kari Lehtonen made 36 saves for his third shutout of the season and the Thrashers skated to the 2-0 win over the Capitals.

Todd White and Marian Hossa scored the goals for the Thrashers, while Lehtonen stopped eight shots in the first, 10 in the second and 18 in the final 20 minutes to post the 10th shutout of his career.

Atlanta played its second game without star forward Ilya Kovalchuk, who sat out with a right knee injury. Kovalchuk, who leads Atlanta with 38 goals and 64 points this year, is expected to sit out once again, but is still considered to be day-to-day.

Tonight's test marks the start of a four-game homestand for the Thrashers, who are 14-12-2 as the host this year.

Philadelphia enters tonight's contest locked into a three-way tie for first place in the Atlantic Division. The Flyers, New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins each have 63 points and are just three points ahead of the New York Rangers.

The Flyers are also coming off a shutout victory, as the Orange & Black blanked the visiting Anaheim Ducks on Saturday.

Mike Knuble registered the first hat trick of his career, and Martin Biron made 27 saves to record his third shutout of the season and 21st of his career to lift the Flyers to the 3-0 win over the defending Stanley Cup champions.

The Flyers closed out their season-high six-game homestand at the Wachovia Center with a 4-2-0 mark, and shut out the Ducks for the first time since a 1-0 victory in Anaheim on January 3, 2003.

Knuble is third on the Flyers with 19 goals this season and is just one tally away from notching his fifth consecutive season with 20 or more markers.

The Flyers are 16-10-0 as the visiting club this year and has won five straight away from Philadelphia.