GAME NOTES
QUICK STATS
Season Series: 1-1-0
All-Time Record: 225gp (118-79-19-9)
Leading Scorer:
PHI - 27 pts: James van Riemsdyk (11g-16a)
WSH - 29 pts: Nicklas Backstrom (10g-19a)
1. BOUNCE BACK KINGS
The Flyers enter tonight looking for back-to-back wins for the first time since a three-game stretch after their return from Lake Tahoe (Feb. 24-28)... This is also the second of three games against the Caps in a seven-day span... The Flyers took a 3-1 loss on Mar. 7, which snapped a four-game win streak against the Caps... Washington enters tonight winners of two straight and have just one regulation loss in their last nine games, going 7-1-1, including 4-1-0 on the road.
2. LINE DANCE
The trio of James van Riemsdyk - Sean Couturier - Joel Farabee has combined for 39 points since Couturier's return to the lineup on Feb. 7 in an 11-game span... Couturier leads the way in both goals (6) and points (15)... The top line for the Caps, Ovechkin - Backstrom - Oshie - lead the way in that same span with a 36 points in a 14-game span... Backstrom leads the team with 15 points (5g-10a) while he and Oshie both have three-game point streaks entering tonight.
3. THE POWERS THAT BE
The Flyers have scored a power-play goal in three of their last four games and 10 of the 15 games in which they have had at least three power-play opportunities... The Caps come into tonight's game having scored just one power-play goal in their last six games, which included a five-game drought that ended in their last game where they went 1-for-2 vs. NJ... The Caps have had just two power plays through the first two games of the series, going 1-for-2, while the Flyers have had eight man advantages, going scoreless.
4. THIS, THAT & THE OTHER
THIS: The Flyers rank third in the NHL in face-off win percentage at 53.5%, which if that holds up, they would finish their fourth straight season in the Top 3 in NHL face-off percentage and leading the NHL the last two seasons... THAT: The Caps rank 3rd in the NHL for most goals from defensemen (15) and T-4th for most points from d-men (58)... The Caps are also one of only two teams in the NHL (Tampa Bay) that have not had a regulation loss in one-goal games (8-0-4)... THE OTHER: Caps defenseman John Carlson is one point shy of recording 500 points in the NHL, which would make him one of 10 active d-men in the NHL to accomplish that.
5. PLAYERS TO WATCH
FLYERS (D: #53 - Shayne Gostisbehere)
Shayne Gostisbehere has goals in two of his last three games - he is one goal shy of tying Bob Dailey for fifth on the Flyers all-time goals from a defenseman list, and one power-play point shy of 100 points on the power play which would make him only the fourth Flyers defenseman to accomplish that feat.
CAPITALS (LW: #8 - Alex Ovechkin)
Ovechkin is having a stellar season against the Flyers... In just two games, his three goals is the most against any other team in the East and his five points are tied for the most against any team, however his five points against Pittsburgh has come in six meetings.
