5 THINGS: Flyers vs. Capitals

QUICK STATS
Season Series: 1-0-0
All-Time Record: 208gp (111-71-19-7)
Leading Scorers: PHI: 41pts, Voracek (13g-28a) | WSH: 40pts, Backstrom (12g-28a)
Power Play: (PHI: 36-for-154, 23.4%, 4th) (WSH: 23-for-128, 18.0%, 16th)
Penalty Kill: (PHI: 110-of-136, 80.9%, 19th) (WSH: 130-for-151, 86.1%, 3rd)
1. ONE MORE BEFORE
The Flyers play their final game before having five days off for their bye week… This is the Flyers 46th game of the season, which at the end of today, will be tied with five other teams with the most games played in the NHL so far this season… The Flyers also play the second of games on back-to-back days, going 6-2-2 in that scenario this season and this is the ninth time in the 11 back-to-back sets where their opponent has not played the night before.
2. SPECIAL FORCES
The Flyers have recorded a power-play goal in three straight games, operating at 50 percent, by going 5-for-10… Five of the Flyers last eight goals have come on the power play… Claude Giroux continues to lead the NHL in both assists (17) and points (21) on the power play, while Brayden Schenn leads in the NHL in power-play goals (11)… The Flyers have five players in the NHL's Top 9 for most time-on-ice on the man advantage: Giroux and Jakub Voracek rank 1 & 2, Wayne Simmonds and Shayne Gostisbehere rank 5th & 6th respectively and Schenn ranks ninth.

3. EIGHT IS ENOUGH
The Caps come into today's game on an eight-game winning streak in which they have outscored opponents, 35-11, including 21-3 in their last five games… They have allowed two goals or fewer in seven of the eight games… Since Dec. 31, the Capitals lead the NHL in wins (8), points (16), goals (35) and goal differential (+24)… During the last five games of the streak, Washington has not allowed an even-strength goal since Jan. 3 against Toronto, a span of 309:14.
4. ME BEFORE YOU
The Capitals lead the NHL in games in which they have scored the first goal (29), as well as wins when they have scored the first goal, going 23-3-3 through 42 games this season… The Flyers are tied for the NHL lead with 13 wins when they have allowed the first goal of the game (with Pittsburgh)… Nine of the Caps 14 losses of any kind this year have come against Metropolitan Division opponents, posting a 7-5-4 division mark, while the Flyers own a 4-4-1 record against the Metro.
5. PLAYERS TO WATCH:
FLYERS (RW: #10 - Brayden Schenn)
Schenn is riding a four-game goal-scoring streak, which is a new career high, and a five-game point streak (4g-1a)… With his power-play goal at Boston yesterday, Schenn extended his lead among all NHL players with 11 goals on the man-advantage this season, and is now tied for third in the NHL with 18 points on the power play… Schenn leads the Flyers in the last month (Dec. 15-Jan. 15) with six goals and nine points in 13 games.
CAPITALS (C: #19 - Nicklas Backstrom)
Backstrom averages an assist per-game and leads the Caps with 11 points (3g-8a) during the eight-game winning streak… He is currently on a five-game point streak (3g-7a)… Backstrom has 682 career points and is playing in his 695th NHL game today - he will be honored by the Caps in a pre-game ceremony for becoming the first player in franchise history with 500 career assists.
TODAY AT 50
On January 15, 1980… The Flyers capture a 7-4 home win over the Washington Capitals despite trailing by scores of 1-0 in the first period and 2-1 in the second. Reggie Leach notches his 28th and 29th goals of the 1979-80 season. Ken "the Rat" Linseman and Bob "the Count" Dailey chip in one goal and one assist apiece, while Bill Barber (24th goal of the season), Behn Wilson and John Paddock round out the scoring.