Rick Tocchet's Philadelphia Flyers (24-20-10) are home on Tuesday evening to take on Spencer Carbery's Washington Capitals (28-22-7) in the penultimate game before the Olympic break. The Flyers have a 12-9-6 home record to date this season, while the Caps are 12-12-4 on the road.
Game time at Xfinity Mobile Arena is 7:00 p.m. EST. The game will be broadcast on NBCSP.
In a scheduling quirk, Tuesday's game is only the first of four meetings this season between the two Metro Division teams this season. The Flyers and Capitals have always played in the same division dating back to the days of the Patrick Division.
With the exception of the belated starts to the 1994-95 (lockout) and 2020-21 (Covid pandemic) seasons, February 3, 2026 marks the latest in a season that the Flyers and Capitals have ever played their first game of a season series. Even in the lockout-affected 2012-13 season, the Flyers had their first game against the Capitals slightly sooner (Feb. 1).
The late start to the 2025-26 head-to-head series means one thing: these two teams will play each a lot over the rest of the campaign. The Flyers and the Capitals will face off again on February 25 (Washington), March 11 (Philadelphia) and March 31 (Washington).
The Flyers enter this game coming off a 3-2 home overtime loss to the LA Kings on Saturday afternoon. Travis Konecny had a goal and assist to lead a comeback from a two-goal deficit before hitting the post on an overtime breakaway. Trevor Zegras notched a power play tally to hit the 20-goal mark for the season.
Washington has won back-to-back matches heading into this game. On Monday, the Capitals collected a 4-1 home win over the New York Islanders. Washington trailed 1-0 at the first intermission. Thereafter, they struck for two unanswered goals apiece in the second and third periods.
Checking forward Nic Dowd recorded a goal and an assist, while Martin Fehervary, Anthony Beauvillier and veteran offensive defenseman John Carlson (ENG) also lit the lamp. Meanwhile, Clay Stevenson made 29 saves on 30 shots to win his second consecutive start while filling in for the injured Logan Thompson (upper body injury, day-to-day) and Charlie Lindgren.
Here are the RAV4 Things to watch on Tuesday evening.
1. Game management
Ever since the Flyers took five of six possible points during their western road trip in January -- Philadelphia played from ahead in all three games in Vegas, Utah, and Colorado -- Philly has reverted to having to attempt comeback hockey. The Flyers have been resilient over the bulk of the season, including Saturday's push back from a 2-0 deficit.
Nevertheless, playing from behind catches up to teams eventually. The Flyers can ill-afford to chase yet another game. The Flyers also had a tendency during their January swoon to give up two or more closely spaced goals early in games.
Bottom line: Philadelphia needs to show the sort of structure they displayed in the latter 35 minutes of regulation play on Saturday. They also cannot afford to lose coverages through the middle and/or on the weak side.
2. Flyers centers
Offensive droughts from Flyers' centers has not been the team's only issue in recent weeks. Nonetheless, the team needs players other than the scorching hot Konecny to help carry the load consistently. For one, the Flyers sorely need to get some contributions from the team's centers.
Dating back to the New Year's Eve match in Calgary, Noah Cates has four points (0g, 4a) in games. Christian Dvorak (3g, 6a) has nine points in that span.
Meanwhile, team captain Sean Couturier last scored a goal on Dec. 7 (his 33rd birthday and 900th career NHL game). Since that time, Couturier has had nine points (0g, 9a) in his last 27 games. In Saturday's match against Los Angeles, Couturier quietly played perhaps his best game in more than a month.
With fourth line center Rodrigo Abols sidelined with a lower-body injury, the Flyers initially recalled Lane Pederson from the Phantoms. More recently, Trevor Zegras has shifted in the last two games from a hybrid forward lining up mostly at wing to primarily playing the pivot.
Zegras had a rough all-around game in Boston last Thursday night. He had a much better day (5-for-8 on faceoffs, power play goal) against the Kings. For the last two games, Zegras has centered Matvei Michkov and Bobby Brink. In the third period, Zegras skated a pair of shifts on wing with Couturier in the middle and Brink on the right side. Both shifts started with faceoffs.
3. Between the pipes
Dan Vladar yielded two early goals in Saturday's game against Los Angeles and then held off the Kings through the rest of regulation. Finally, a perfectly placed far-side shot by Quinton Byfield from the top of the right circle ended the overtime shortly after Konecny hit the post at the other end.
With Samuel Ersson out with a lower-body injury, Aleksei Kolosov served as the backup goaltender on Saturday. After briefly returning to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to start on Sunday, Kolosov was called up by the Flyers again on Monday. Vladar is the anticipated starter against Washington.
Washington's starting goaltend is yet to be determined. Thompson is officially day-to-day with an upper body injury. He practiced on Sunday and took part in Monday's morning skate. However, Carbery said before the Islanders game that Thompson will not play until Thursday against Nashville. Lindgren is on Injured Reserve. Garin Bjorklund has backed up Stevenson in net.
4. The Wilson effect
Capitals power winger Tom Wilson, 31, has done his share of damage to the Flyers over the years. Opponents know that they need to keep their heads up and not to leave themselves in a vulnerable position when Wilson is on the ice. Meanwhile, opponents can also not afford to send a so-called "suicide pass" in a teammate's direction.
Over the course of his career, Wilson has moved up the Capitals lineup and his role has evolved to carry much more offensive responsibility than he did in his early years. This season, Wilson shares Washington's goal-scoring lead with Alex Ovechkin (22 apiece) and leads the team in overall points with 48 to Ovechkin's 47.
Wilson, however, last scored a goal on January 1 in Ottawa after a two-goal and three point game against the New York Rangers on New Year's Eve. In Monday's win over the Islanders, Wilson fought Scott Mayfield early in the second period after slashing Ondrej Palat near the end of the opening frame.
In 47 career games against the Flyers, Wilson has racked up 125 penalty minutes to go along with 22 points (8g, 14a).
