PREVIEW 7:00 AM EDT
Coming off a 7-2 romp in Ottawa, the Flyers (4-0-1) return home tonight to take on the undefeated Washington Capitals (5-0-0) in the latest installment of what has developed into a good rivalry in recent years. The game starts at 7 PM EDT and will be broadcast locally on Comcast Sportsnet Philadelphia and nationally (with blackout restrictions) on NHL Network.
This is the first of four meetings between the teams this season. Last year's season was as even as could be, with both clubs winning once each at home and on the road. All four games went to overtime, and two were decided by shootout.
The Flyers have been doing a lot of things right so far this season. They look deep offensively, strong defensively and in goal, and seem to have a good blend of youth and experience. The Capitals, meanwhile, have also hit their strides very quickly, despite the fact that Alexander Ovechkin -- who had a maintenance day yesterday -- is off to a slow start by his standards (1G, 2A). Nicklas Backstrom has picked up the slack, with 4 points in his last three games, and leads the team overall with 6 points on the young season.
Philadelphia and Washington would both be well advised to stay out of the penalty box tonight. That has been a problem for the Flyers in the early going of the season. The Capitals have clicked on the man advantage at a lusty 29.4 percent clip, while the Flyers aren't far behind at 26.7 percent.
Ilya Bryzgalov will start in goal tonight for the Flyers after getting his first night off in Ottawa. He'll be opposed by Tomas Vokoun, who had a rough preseason and tough first outing but has been outstanding since then.
Yesterday, the Flyers called up Brayden Schenn from Adirondack, and sent Zac Rinaldo and Harry Zolnierczyk (both of whom recorded their first NHL points on Tuesday) to the AHL. It is not known yet for sure how the line combinations will shake out. Schenn may center the third line and Sean Couturier the fourth, or else the Flyers may ice an all-rookie unit tonight, with Schenn joining Sean Couturier and Matt Read -- both of whom scored goals in Ottawa -- on the third line.
In addition, Jody Shelley has completed his NHL suspension. With Andreas Nodl seemingly ready to return after missing the Ottawa game, Shelley would be a healthy scratch.
PROJECTED LINEUPS (subject to change)
FLYERS
JVR - Giroux - Jagr
Simmonds - Briere - Voracek
Hartnell - Schenn - Read
Nodl - Couturier - Talbot
Carle - Pronger
Timonen - Coburn
Meszaros - Lilja
Bryzgalov
[Bobrovsky]
CAPITALS
Ovechkin - Backstrom - Brouwer
Semin - Johansson - Knuble
Ward - Laich - Chimera
Halpern - Perreault - Hendricks
Alzner - Carlson
Green - Hamrlik
Wideman - Schultz
Vokoun
[Sabourin]
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