Flyers-Caps preview: Philly hopes healthier lineup ends skid

Three players – left winger Joel Farabee, center Derick Brassard, and goaltender Carter Hart – will return to the Philadelphia Flyers’ lineup Saturday afternoon and try to help the team snap a six-game losing streak.

The Flyers (15-26-10) host the Washington Capitals (28-16-9) at 12:30 p.m.

Farabee has missed the last 11 games with a shoulder injury, while Brassard has been sidelined for the last five games because of a recurring hip problem. Hart has missed the last two games with an eye infection.

Getting Farabee back should jump-start Claude Giroux (one goal in last eight games) and Cam Atkinson (goal-less in 14 of last 15 games) on the top line.

“He’s a dynamic player,” Atkinson said about Farabee, who has 11 goals in 33 games.

The Flyers and Caps have split two games this season, with each winning in their opponent’s home rink.

Storylines

Washington will be aiming for its second straight win over the Flyers. The Caps started the Flyers’ eight-game homestand with a 5-3 comeback win on Feb. 17. In that game, the Capitals scored three late goals in a 2:08 span to erase a 3-2 deficit.

The Philadelphia Flyers have had a lead or have been tied in the third period of their last four games (all against strong teams), but couldn’t finish things off. Will Saturday be the day?

Flyers’ projected lineup

Line 1: Giroux centering Farabee and Atkinson.

Line 2: Scott Laughton centering Oskar Lindblom and Travis Konecny.

Line 3: Brassard centering James van Riemsdyk and Gerry Mayhew.

Line 4: Patrick Brown centering Isaac Ratcliffe and Zack MacEwen.

Defense: Ivan Provorov and Justin Braun; Travis Sanheim and Rasmus Ristolainen, Keith Yandle and Nick Seeler.

Goalie:  Hart.

Numbers Dept.

Washington superstar Alex Ovechkin, 36, has 32 goals and 63 points in 51 games this season. In 65 career games against the Philadelphia Flyers, Ovechkin has 42 goals and 71 points.

The Caps are averaging 3.21 goals per game and allowing 2.77, while the Flyers are scoring just 2.53 goals per game and surrendering 3.45.

Who’s hot

Defenseman John Carlson has six points (goal, five assists) in his last six games for Washington.

Mayhew has three goals over his last three games, including two against the Capitals.

Projected goalie matchup­­­

Washington’s Ilya Samsonov (2.88 GAA, .904 save percentage) is expected to get the call and face Hart (2.96, .910), who is looking for his first win since Feb. 1.

How to watch

NBC Sports Philadelphia at 12:30 p.m.

Money line (FanDuel)

Caps: minus-188.

Flyers: plus-155.

Prediction

Capitals 4, Flyers 2.

Prediction record: 16-4.