Flyers Make First DC Visit of Season

The Philadelphia Flyers are in town tonight and Caps fans are ready for the rivalry's renewal. The teams met earlier this season at Wachovia Center, where the home team took a 6-5 OT thriller.

Washington trails the all-time series, 66-94-19-1, entering the 181st meeting, and trails, 37-18-3-0 at home. Washington is 1-1-2 in the early going against Atlantic Division teams after posting a 14-2-4 record against the division last season.

The Flyers (5-3-1) are off to a decent start, which includes a 2-1 road record. But they've been outscored 10-6 in the third period this season, while the Caps have been outscored 12-10. So it could be a high-scoring finish again.

The Caps' 6-2-2 record through 10 games is the team's best mark at this stage since 1997-98 (7-2-1), when they made the franchise's only Stanley Cup finals appearance, and three more points than it had at this point last year (5-4-1).

Mike Green had a goal and an assist Saturday night in a 3-2 OT win over the New York Islanders, giving him points in five straight games (2 goals, 4 assists). It's the longest point streak by a Cap this season and just one game shy of the longest by a defenseman in the NHL this year.

In the last 20 games, including playoffs, Matt Bradley has posted five goals and six assists (11 points).

The Flyers' Mike Richards (6 goals, 4 assists) and Jeff Carter (4 goals, 6 assists) both lead the team with 10 points through the Flyers' first nine games of the year. Richards leads the squad in penalty minutes as well (21).

Simon Gagne may need hernia surgery, and the Flyers are contemplating putting him on injured reserve.

The Flyers' power play (11 for 44) has been clicking at a 25 percent rate, while the Caps are only 8 for 48 (16.7 percent). Both teams are among the NHL's elite in penalty killing -- the Flyers are at 85.4 percent, the Caps at 83.7 percent.

Jose Theodore is expected to start in goal for the Caps. No word yet whether Ray Emery will be doing the same for the visitors.

Check back for live coverage from Verizon Center tonight.