Photo: Patrick Smith
After winning both home games, the Caps are in Philadelphia tonight to see if they can’t put the Flyers in a stranglehold. It won’t be easy. The Flyers are mightily pissed about games one and two, and they’ve got sentimental reasons not to play like garbage tonight.
The saying goes, “you’re not in trouble until you lose at home.” Here’s rooting for trouble tonight at Wells Fargo center in what is sure to be an emotionally charged game.
Caps lead the series 2-0. Puck drops at 7 PM on CSN-DC.
| Team | Record | Possession | PDO | Power Play | Penalty Kill |
| Washington Capitals | 56-18-8 | 52.0% | 101.1 | 21.9% (5th) | 85.2% (2nd) |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 41-27-14 | 50.1% | 100.5 | 18.9% (11th) | 80.5% (20th) |
What If?
Projected Lineup
Ovechkin – Backstrom – Oshie
Burakovsky – Kuznetsov – Williams
Chimera – Richards – Johansson
Winnik – Beagle – Wilson
Orpik – Carlson
Alzner – Niskanen
Schmidt – Orlov
Holtby
Your Afternoon Psych-Up Mixtape
If you’re having a case of the Mondays.
Worst State Ever
And it seems like the Caps will spending a good deal of time there soon. Get the shirt.
Storylines
- Tonight the Flyers will celebrate the life of Ed Snider. It’s gonna be emotional.
- The penalty kill is perfect so far.
- Braden Holtby is nigh perfect so far.
- We will never get over Jason Chimera’s 100-footer. Pat Holden broke down the Xs and Os while Ian broke down in tears laughing.
- How have the Caps eked out a 2-game lead? Pat thinks finishing talent is a big factor. Travis Yost points to matchups.
- Arik Parnass is doing incredible work on power-play systems, and the Caps are his main case study. Ian documented how Philly failed to stop that PP’s crown jewel on Saturday. (also, check the comments for some good insight from the Philadelphia perspective).
- Marcus Johansson is an apple factory.
- At the heart of Ryan White‘s quibbles with officiating (also covered by Dan Steinberg) is White’s lifelong battle against counting numbers.
- A fun thought experiment about Mikey Neuvirth, who will not start tonight.
- Justin Williams has a long and complicated relationship with Philly.
- Alex Ovechkin bet his car on a game of H-O-R-S-E.
A Wild Kuzy Appears!
Today's best Kuznetsov locker room gif, btw (via @slarimer) pic.twitter.com/70IZUbmlMi
— Dan Steinberg (@dcsportsbog) April 18, 2016
It’s super effective!
