Flyers vs. Capitals: Game 43 Preview

The post-holiday results for the Flyers have been excellent so far. The team returned to play with a three-game California road trip and swept it. After splitting a pair of games at home against Arizona and Toronto, the team went on the road and dominated the Buffalo Sabres, then secured a 5-3 win over the Washington Capitals on Wednesday at home.

The home-and-home against the Capitals concludes on Saturday night, as the Flyers go for their seventh win in the last eight games.

Game time is 7 p.m.

Team Leaders

There is no player in the NHL on a hotter scoring streak than Travis Konecny. He enters Saturday with a 10-game points streak and has 12 goals and 20 points in that time, after a hat trick against Washington on Wednesday. 

It’s not often that Alex Ovechkin is held off the board completely against the Flyers. In the previous two games against the Flyers this season, Ovechkin had three goals. He remains at 809 career goals after a scoreless night in Philadelphia on Wednesday, the third straight game Ovechkin was held without a point.

Carter Hart gets another start on Saturday night. Hart was in goal on Wednesday and secured the win making 26 saves on 29 shots. Hart also has a loss against Washington this season on Dec. 7, making 23 saves on 25 shots. 

Darcy Kuemper gets the start for the Capitals. Kuemper made 31 saves on 35 shots on Wednesday in the loss to the Flyers, marking his first regulation loss since Nov. 19, a span of 11 starts that began on Nov. 23.

Projected Lineups

Flyers Scratches: Sean Couturier (injury), Tanner Laczynski (injury), Justin Braun (healthy), Kieffer Bellows (healthy)

Capitals Scratches: Carl Hagelin (injury), Connor Brown (injury), John Carlson (injury), Beck Malenstyn (injury), Dylan Strome (healthy), Nicolas Aube-Kubel (healthy), Alexander Alexeyev (healthy)

Lineup Notes

• Flyers: No changes are being made to the Flyers lineup from Wednesday’s win.
• Capitals: Aside from naming a goaltender, head coach Peter Laviolette said the team was still deciding on other lineup changes. One change will be the return of Anthony Mantha, who missed the last two games as a healthy scratch. Based on the morning skate, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Alexander Alexeyev, and Dylan Strome were the extras.

Game Notes

• Power Play: Flyers (29th), Capitals (16th)
• Penalty Kill: Flyers (18th), Capitals (10th)
• Recent History vs. Capitals
  • Jan. 11, 2023 – Flyers 5, Capitals 3 (at PHI)
  • Dec. 7, 2022 – Capitals 4, Flyers 1 (at PHI)
  • Nov. 23, 2022 – Capitals 3, Flyers 2 (F/OT) (at WSH)
• Flyers Leaders vs. Capitals
  • James van Riemsdyk: 48 GP, 14 G, 17 A, 31 P
  • Scott Laughton: 31 GP, 12 G, 3 A, 15 P
  • Kevin Hayes: 36 GP, 8 G, 13 A, 21 P
  • Travis Konecny: 29 GP, 9 G, 5 A, 14 P
• Milestone Watch
  • Travis Sanheim needs two assists to reach 100 for his career.

Where to Watch

TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: Flyers Broadcast Network