Ovi out for Tuesday's Game, What can the Flyers expect?

Tomorrow the Flyers take on their rising rival the Washington Capitals. However this time the Caps will be without their captain and leading scorer Alexander Ovechkin. The team reports he will be out 7-10 days recovering from a 'minor-nagging' injury. Nearing the finish line the Caps saw their stretch of one game in six nights a good time to give Alexander the Great a break.

Now who do the Flyers focus on?

The answer can be found in another budding Russian winger, Alex Semin. Semin is the caps second leading scorer with 25 goals and has proven himself worthy of the hype. He will most likely find a warm welcome next to Nick Backstrom, who prides himself on his outstanding play making ability and is always in the discussion of the league's top passers.

Another route to shutting down the 2nd place team in the East in their defense. The Caps have been reticuled time and time again for their offense-first style at all ends of the ice. Now without having to hang three guys high to double team Ovechkin, the Flyers can focus on shutting down the Caps breakout scheme. Mike Green is always a wildcard with his skating ability and now the Flyers can always have a spy on him, in place of Ovi.

Off Year

Ovechkin and the Caps have less than ten games left on their schedule and their top gun is aimed for a career low total in goals. His 29 goals are 17 shy of his previous career low set in 06-07, his sophomore year. Despite his decline the Caps have once again managed to stay amongst the top of the league and are putting up a fight for the 1 seed in the East, once again.

Without Jose Theodore or Cristobal Huet there has been more of a spotlight on the Caps youth. Semyon Varlamov, Michal Neuvirth, and Braden Holtby have been the main contributors between the pipes this season, with no goalie making a stand and becoming the clear number one.


On the other end of the spectrum Washington has been shutout eleven times. They have only 198 goals for this season, down from last year's league leading 318. Even against the Flyers this Caps team has been different, their goals for - goals against has dropped from 22-13 in four games versus each other to 9-10 through three games this season.

Don't Relax

You heard me, don't get comfortable sitting in your suede couches watch Pre-Game Live on Tuesday. The Capitals have won nine of their ten games this month, most recently shutting out the red hot New Jersey Devils in enemy territory. Washington also sits just merely behind the Flyers by two point for first in the Eastern Conference.

The game will be on Versus Network. A 7:30 EST puck drop from The Well.

There will be a short preview with depth chats and who to watch for up tomorrow around game time. Thanks for reading!
Pictures from Fantasysportsday.com and thegoalieguild.com.