Capitals at Flyers
THE STORY: After struggling throughout stretches in the season, Alex Ovechkin has discovered his scoring touch. The two-time Hart Trophy winner will need to solve the two-time reigning NHL First Star of the Week on Thursday when the Washington Capitals conclude their five-game road trip against Ilya Bryzgalov and the Philadelphia Flyers. Washington is tied with Buffalo for eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHLN, CSW
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (37-30-6): Ovechkin tallied twice for the second time on the road trip as Washington skated to a 5-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Monday. Although the Russian was held off the scoresheet during the Capitals' 1-0 loss to Philadelphia on March 4, he did tally twice in an October matchup versus the Flyers. With G Tomas Vokoun nursing a groin injury, Michal Neuvirth may get the call on Thursday. Neuvirth was solid in the loss to Philadelphia earlier this month, stopping 22 of 23 shots.
ABOUT THE FLYERS (42-23-8): Philadelphia continues to be slow out of the blocks. The Flyers yielded the game's first two goals for the third straight contest during Tuesday's 2-1 loss to the Florida Panthers. The early hole is nothing new for coach Peter Laviolette's club, which has surrendered the first tally in 14 of its last 19 games. "It's been like that since I got here; the other team always scores the first goal," veteran defenseman Pavel Kubina said. "We just gotta get better starts."
OVERTIME:
1. After failing to tally in 35 straight contests, 39-year-old Washington forward Mike Knuble has recorded three goals in his last four games. The former Flyer has six tallies on the season.
2. Philadelphia has converted just two of its last 19 power-play opportunities. Their recent troubles notwithstanding, the Flyers are tied for fifth with the Pittsburgh Penguins in power-play efficiency (19.5 percent).