Philadelphia Flyers
Flyers-Capitals preview: Slumping Carter Hart vs. sizzling Alex Ovechkin
Goaltender Carter Hart will try to snap a slump Tuesday when the Philadelphia Flyers play high-scoring Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals in Washington.
Hart, 23, has allowed 19 goals over the last four games, all losses.
Ovechkin, 36, is fourth in the NHL with 45 goals and 83 points in 70 games. He has 775 career goals, third in NHL history, behind only Wayne Gretzky (894) and Gordie Howe (801). Howe scored 975 goals if you add the 174 he tallied in six WHA seasons.
The Flyers have held Oveckin pointless in three games this season. He has a minus-3 rating and 10 shots in those games.
Overall, Ovechkin has a goal in each of the last three games.
Storylines
Right winger Bobby Brink, who helped Denver win the NCAA title Saturday, will make his NHL debut for the Philadelphia Flyers. He led the nation in points (57) and assists (43) this season.
Will Ovechkin finally break out against the Flyers? Probably. In his career, he has 42 goals in 66 games against Philly
Flyers’ projected lineup
Line 1: Kevin Hayes centering Joel Farabee and Cam Atkinson.
Line 2: Scott Laughton centering Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett.
Line 3: Morgan Frost centering James van Riemsdyk and Brink.
Line 4: Nate Thompson centering Noah Cates and Patrick Brown. (Oskar Lindblom is getting a rest.)
Defense: Ivan Provorov and Cam York; Travis Sanheim and Rasmus Ristolainen, Kevin Connauton and Ronnie Attard.
Goalie: Hart.
Numbers Dept.
The Philadelphia Flyers’ unwatchable power play is 1 for 27 (3.7%) over the last 10 games. Paging Joey Mullen. Paging Joey Mullen.
Who’s hot?
Provorov has three goals and five points over his last five games.
For the Caps, defenseman John Carlson has eight points (three goals, five assists) over his last three games.
Projected goalie matchup
Hart (3.11 GAA, .906 save percentage) is expected to face Ilya Samsonov (2.95, .899), who has won his last four decisions.
How to watch
ESPN, 7 p.m.
How to bet
Money line (FanDuel)
Flyers: plus-205.
Capitals: minus-255.
Prediction
Capitals 4, Flyers 2.
Prediction record: 26-11.