Flyers at Capitals
Andre Burakovsky looks to extend his goal-scoring streak to six games on Sunday afternoon, when the Washington Capitals host the Metropolitan Division-rival Philadelphia Flyers. Burakovsky netted his sixth tally during his hot stretch Saturday as Washington answered a two-game skid by winning its second straight with a 3-2 shootout triumph over New Jersey.
Burakovsky, whose 10 goals this season eclipse his total from his 2014-15 rookie campaign, tallied twice in the Capitals' 4-3 overtime loss to Philadelphia on Jan. 25. Braden Holtby is riding high with a league-best 32 wins and a 24-1-3 mark in his last 29 contests but yielded four goals on 32 shots en route to falling for the ninth time in 14 career decisions versus the Flyers (5-4-5). Philadelphia rookie defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere notched a pair of assists in the last meeting with the Capitals and also tallied in Saturday's 3-2 shootout loss to the New York Rangers to extend his point streak to seven games (two goals, eight assists). "We know we've got a big game (Sunday), and we knew it before the game. ... We're just gonna take everything in stride and be ready for Washington," Gostisbehere told CSN Philly of his team, which has secured a point in 10 of its last 13 contests (8-3-2).
TV: Noon ET, NBC
ABOUT THE FLYERS (23-18-9): Jakub Voracek, who netted the overtime winner versus Washington last monthto cap a two-goal performance, set up a tally on Saturday to extend his point streak to six games (three goals, eight assists). The 26-year-old Czech also found himself double-shifting on occasion and logging a career-best 27:59 of ice time as fellow forward Wayne Simmonds was given a match penalty. "It was hard (playing without Simmonds and the injured Sean Couturier), but like I said, we managed the game pretty well," Voracek told CSN Philly. "We had some good scoring chances as a team. It was a great game, an emotional game, a lot of hitting, a lot of scrums."
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (37-9-4): Captain Alex Ovechkin is one tally shy of becoming the third player in league history to reach the 30-goal plateau in each of his first 11 NHL seasons - joining Mike Gartner and Wayne Gretzky. A three-time Hart Trophy winner, Ovechkin has tormented the Flyers throughout his career, recording 46 points (29 goals, 17 assists) in 39 meetings. Nicklas Backstrom has done his fair share of frustrating Philadelphia, scoring 14 goals and setting up 30 others in 32 career contests.
OVERTIME
1. Philadelphia RW Ryan White, who scored in the last encounter with Washington, has recorded two goals in his last four games after tallying just three times in the previous 36 contests.
2. The Capitals are 0-for-15 on the power play in their last four games after going 4-for-6 in the previous two.
3. Burakovsky's five-game goal-scoring streak ties Ovechkin for the longest run this season.