PREVIEW (11:30 PM, Sat Jan. 16)

Coming off a humiliating 4-0 shutout loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Flyers face a measuring stick game tomorrow afternoon when they take on the high-powered Washington Capitals in a road matinee game. The Caps enter the game having torn apart the Leafs on Friday night. Washingon has won six of its last 10 games, including the last two in a row.

The Flyers are 8-2-1 in their last 11 games but it has been awhile since the team has faced a top echalon opponent. Yes, the Flyers dismantled the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins during their recent surge, but the club was also fortunate enough to catch the Pens in the midst of a downcycle while things were starting to click for Philly.

To win in Washington, the Flyers will need most or all of the elements that spearheaded the 8-1-1 stretch leading into the ugly game in Toronto: 1) Score first, 2) win the special teams battles, 3) Avoid odd-man rushes, 4) forecheck aggressively and skate hard, and 5) get traffic at the net.

The Flyers expect to have Scott Hartnell (flu) and Darroll Powe (suspected bruised left shoulder, officially an "upper body injury") in the lineup. The presence down low of those two players as well as Powe's speed and forechecking tenacity were sorely missed in Toronto. As of this writing, Peter Laviolette has not yet announced his starting goaltender for the game.

FLYERS LINEUP (Subject to change)

Hartnell - Carter - Briere
Gagne - Richards - Giroux
JVR - Powe - Asham
Carcillo - Betts - Laperriere

Carle - Pronger
Tollefsen - Timonen
Coburn - Bartulis

Leighton/Emery

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