3/22/11: Flyers vs Caps Notes

Washington Capitals (2nd in East, 94 points)
at
Philadelphia Flyers (1st in East, 96 points)

Wells Fargo Center
7:30pm EST
VS Network

Storylines

No Ovi
The Caps will be without their superstar Alex Ovechkin as he is shut down for 7-10 days with a minor nagging injury. Ovi leads the Caps with 29 goals and 77 points this season.

Capitalizing on Competition
Since the beginning of March the Caps have gone 9-1 with their only loss coming to the Detroit Red Wings last Wednesday. Six of the ten teams they have faced have been out side the playoff race and unlike the Flyers, the Caps are winning the games they should. With an added 18 points since start of March the Caps are nipping at the Flyers heals for first place in the east.

From Clinched to Pinching
With Tampa Bay only five points behind the Caps for the Southeast division lead, Washington is trying to grab every point possible. On the other hand the Flyers could pull away and clinch the Atlantic Division title with two wins this week. Currently the Flyers are they only team to have clinched a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.

Statement Time
With a bevy of bad losses and unimpressive wins the Flyers have gotten the hockey world wondering if they can turn it around come playoff time. With games versus the Pens and Caps this week the Flyers can start their march into spring's never-ending tournament that is the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

For more,, read over Monday's Primer: Ovi out Tuesday, what can the Flyers expect?

Who to Watch

For the Capitals it has to be their smooth operator Nick Backstrom. He can make something out of nothing and in a hurry. Without Ovechkin he could substitute his need for a Russian scorer with Alex Semin. Two abilities like that can have instant chemistry and could be havoc tonight.

Flyers fans should be ready for their captain to tear out of his slump with a big game. Mike Richards scored his first goal since February 24th in the Flyers last game versus the Stars and there is no reason to believe that he won't start another streak. Richards has torched the Caps before and is due after only scoring one goal against them in three games this season.

Projected Flyers Lines

Nodl Richards Vesteeg
Leino Briere Hartnell
Carter Giroux JVR
Powe Betts Carcillo

Timonen Gustafsson/Boyton
Meszaros O'Donnell
Coburn Carle

Bobrovsky Boucher

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