GAME NOTES
QUICK STATS
Season Series: 1-3-0
All-Time Record: 227gp (118-81-19-9)
Leading Scorer:
PHI - 33 pts: James van Riemsdyk (13g-20a)
WSH - 42 pts: Nicklas Backstrom (13g-29a)
1. THE AFTERMATH
With the trade deadline having come and gone both teams have a slightly different look... The Flyers are without defenseman Erik Gustafsson (to MTL) and forward Michael Raffl, who went to tonight's opponent, but will not play for the Caps... Washington also pulled off a deal for Anthony Mantha, the 6'5", 234 pound forward who led the Red Wings with 11 goals and ranked second with 21 points... Leaving Washington are Richard Panik and Jakub Vrana, who had 12 points (5g-7a) in 16 games against the Flyers.
2. WHAT'S LEFT
The Flyers enter tonight tied with the Rangers (tonight at NJD) at 44 points, both are four points back of Boston (tonight vs. BUF) for the final playoff spot... The Flyers are looking to bounce back after a loss on Sunday and have been impressive in games following a regulation loss this year - earning points in 12 of 15 games with a 9-3-3 record... A Flyers defenseman has scored a goal in seven of their last nine games... The Caps are tied for first in the East and are coming off a dominant 8-1 win vs. Boston and have outscored their opponent, 12-4, in the last two games.
3. ROADWORK
The Flyers kick off a two-game road trip tonight in Washington and Thursday in Pittsburgh... They have earned points in four of their last five on the road, going 2-1-2, with four of the five all being decided in overtime or a shootout... Jake Voracek leads the team on the road with 19 points (3g-16a) in 19 road games... The Flyers earned their only win against the Caps on the road this year - recording a 7-4 win at Washington in the first meeting of the season... Despite losing three straight to the Caps, the Flyers have actually won three straight games played in Washington.
4. HOMEWORK
Tonight is the Caps second home game in their last nine games... They are 8-2-1 in their last 11 on home ice and have not lost two in-a-row at home in over two months (Feb. 1 & 7)... The Caps own the NHL's best power play at home, operating at over 30 percent (33.3), but have scored just two power-play goals at home in their last six at home, going just 2-for-19... The Caps have also allowed a goal on the penalty kill in five of their last seven at home... John Carlson is tied for the NHL lead among all defensemen for points at home, averaging a point per-game with 20 points (5g-15a) in 20 games.
5. PLAYERS TO WATCH
FLYERS (D: #53 - Shayne Gostisbehere)
Gostisbehere comes in with goals in back-to-back games and three of his last four, posting four points (3g-1a) in that span... He leads the Flyers defense in goals (8) and ranks second in overall points (15) in 31 games... Against the Caps, he leads the Flyers in the season series with 14 shots and has two points (1g-1a) in four games.
CAPITALS (RW: #8 - Alex Ovechkin)
Ovechkin is having a year against the Flyers with five goals and seven points in just four games, which is the most he's had against the Flyers since the 2009-10 season... He has points in three straight and six points (3g-3a) in his last five games... Since playing the Flyers on Mar. 7, Ovechkin is tied for the NHL lead in goals (14) with Toronto's Auston Matthews.
