Capitals at Flyers
With their second Presidents' Trophy already under wraps, the Washington Capitals will attempt to set the franchise mark for wins in a season on Wednesday when they visit a potential first-round opponent in the Philadelphia Flyers. Washington's 54 victories this season are even with the total of the 2009-10 club, which was unceremoniously bounced by eighth-seeded Montreal in the first round of the playoffs.
Braden Holtby made 21 saves in Monday's 4-1 triumph over Columbus for his 46th win - two shy of tying Martin Brodeur for the NHL record. The 26-year-old Holtby has traditionally struggled versus the Flyers (6-4-5, 2.89 goals-against average), but improved to 2-0-1 versus the Metropolitan Division rival this season after turning aside 33 shots in a 3-2 win on Feb. 7. Philadelphia dropped five of its next eight games (3-3-2) before embarking on an 11-3-2 run to reside even in points with Detroit for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference - although with two games in hand. Captain Claude Giroux netted his fourth goal in five outings when he scored in overtime of Monday's 3-2 victory over Winnipeg and has 30 points (15 goals, 15 assists) in 28 career meetings with Washington.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports, SN360
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (54-16-5): Coach Barry Trotz admitted that his patience wasn't just wearing thin in the face of successive defensive lapses by his team of late. "I don't have any," Trotz told the Washington Post. "We will possibly make changes the next game. Not guaranteeing that, but we possibly will." Although Trotz did not mention Dmitry Orlov by name, the defenseman could serve as a healthy scratch for the first time this season after he was on the ice for four goals in a 6-2 setback to Pittsburgh on March 20 while his turnover led to a Blue Jackets' goal on Monday.
ABOUT THE FLYERS (37-25-13): With Michal Neuvirth (lower body) expected to miss the rest of the season, Philadelphia turned to a familiar face as fellow goaltender Ray Emery will skate with the club on a tryout basis. Steve Mason is expected to make his seventh straight start and 12th in 13 games when he faces Washington, against which he yielded eight goals en route to losing both meetings this season. The 27-year-old Mason has played well of late, recording a 7-2-2 mark with a 1.97 goals-against average and .929 save percentage in his last 11 starts.
OVERTIME
1. Philadelphia C Sean Couturier has collected one goal and four assists during his five-game point streak.
2. Former Flyers captain Mike Richards will play in the City of Brotherly Love for the first time since he signed with Washington in January.
3. Philadelphia RW Jakub Voracek has notched just two assists in six games since returning from a foot injury, but netted his second goal of the contest in overtime en route to a 4-3 win over Washington on Jan. 27.