Game #47 Preview: Washington Capitals at Philadelphia Flyers

Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA

When:  January 18, 2011, 7:00 PM

History:           

Caps Record on this Date: 6-5-1-0

Caps Game 47 Record: 18-13-4-0

All-Time vs. PHI: 33-28-5-3

All-Time at PHI: 19-11-4-1

Last Season vs. PHI: 3-0-1

Last Meeting: 12/19/10, WAS 3 OTT 2

Season Series: 1-0-1

This Year:

WAS Record: 25-14-7

Standings Points: 57

Division Rank: 2nd

Conference Rank: 5th

Last Game: 1/16/11, WAS 3 OTT 1

Streak: Win 1

PHI Record: 29-11-5

Standings Points: 63

Division Rank: 1st

Conference Rank: 1st    

Last Game: 1/16/11, PHI 3 NYR 2

Streak: Win 2

Probable Line-Ups:     

Washington

Forward Line 1: 8 OVECHKIN, 19 BACKSTROM, 90 JOHANSSON

Forward Line 2: 21 LAICH, 85 PERRAULT, 22 KNUBLE  

Forward Line 3: 25 CHIMERA, 15 GORDON, 63 A. GORDON

Forward Line 4: 26 HENDRICKS, 39 STECKEL, 83 BEAGLE

Defense Pair 1: 52 GREEN, 55 SCHULTZ

Defense Pair 2: 27 ALZNER, 74 CARLSON

Defense Pair 3: 23 HANNAN, 4 ERSKINE

Goalie: 1 VARLAMOV

Back-up Goalie: 30 NEUVIRTH

Philadelphia

Forward Line 1: 19 HARTNELL, 48 BRIERE, 22 LEINO

Forward Line 2: 93 ZHERDEV, 18 RICHARDS, 15 NODL

Forward Line 3: 21 VAN RIEMSDYK, 28 GIROUX, 17 CARTER

Forward Line 4: 45 SHELLEY, 11 BETTS, 36 POWE

Defense Pair 1: 44 TIMONEN, 5 COBURN

Defense Pair 2: 41 MESZAROS, 6 O’DONNELL

Defense Pair 3: 8 WALKER, 25 CARLE

Goalie: 33 BOUCHER

Back-up Goalie: 35 BOBROVSKY

Injuries:

Washington – 3 POTI (upper body) IR, 17 KING (undisclosed) IR, 10 BRADLEY (broken finger) IR, 28 SEMIN (hip) DTD, 14 FEHR (upper body) DTD

PHI – 25 PRONGER (foot) IR, 14 LAPERRIERE (concussion) IR

Caps Milestones:

Nicklas Backstrom needs 1 point to reach 300 in his career.

Preview:

A big test tonight for the Capitals as they face their old rivals the Philadelphia Flyers. As Washington struggles for consistency the Flyers have been quietly leading the Eastern Conference and look to put some distance on the competition. The Capitals ended their 3 game slide on Sunday and need to start scoring in the first period. The Caps have scored the fewest first period goals, 28, of any team in the NHL. This is forcing the Capitals to try and come from behind and not allowing them to dictate the pace of the game. As was seem in the Ottawa game and as far back as the Winter Classic, with the new system the Caps can shut down the opposition once they get the lead. I expect a very physical game tonight as the Flyer and Capitals really do not like each other. Look for a very fast paced beginning to this one. I think that the big guns of the Capitals will be ready to play and be involved in the scoring.

Joe’s prediction: Caps 4 PHI 3

Official Preview