A top defenseman is out, another is iffy; a play-making winger is questionable. Those are only a few of the problems facing the Coyotes as they get ready to battle the top two teams in the Eastern Conference in back-to-back road games.

The Coyotes, who are 17-9-4 away from Jobing.com Arena, are in first place in the Pacific Division, third in the West and shooting for a season-high eighth win a row entering Tuesday night's game against the No. 1 Flyers. It does not get any easier Wednesday against Tampa Bay, which is powered by Steven Stamkos - the NHL's top goal scorer (40) and runner-up in points (75).

"They're both very good teams, and getting them back to back will be a great challenge for us," coach Dave Tippett said. "They're two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference and obviously have played very well.

"If you look at Philadelphia - went to the Stanley Cup Finals last year - and Tampa is a team that changed their ownership, management, coaches, everything, and have come back and had a real bounce-back year, so both very good teams."

Ed Jovanovski is out indefinitely after orbital-bone surgery, and blueliner Adrian Aucoin is day to day with a lower-body injury. Forward Ray Whitney had to leave Saturday's game in Nashville with a lower-body injury and is day to day.

Defeating Nashville 3-2 gave the Coyotes a good springboard into these two games.

"It goes without saying you want to get out to a good start," Tippett said. "We were fairly solid in that game; we played a strong road game, and we'll need that to continue if we're going to try to find success the rest of the trip."

Ilya Bryzgalov (26-14-6), who has five shutouts, has been in net during the seven-game streak, but Jason LaBarbera will see action at some point during the trip. The Coyotes play in Columbus, Ohio, on Friday and Chicago on Sunday before returning home.