It took 67 games into the regular season, but the Stanley Cup Champions finally play their first game at the Wells Fargo Center.
The Philadelphia Flyers (32-26-8 72 pts.) and Washington Capitals (38-21-7, 83 pts.) will get to know each other quite well over the next several weeks with three games over a span of 19 days.
Since losing to the Capitals 5-3 in their only meeting so far this season on January 8, the Flyers own a 17-4-2 record.
Let's take a look at tonight's essentials.
• When: 7:30 p.m. ET
• Where: Wells Fargo Center
• Broadcast: NBCSN
• Live stream: NBCSportsPhiladelphia.com and the NBC Sports MyTeams app
• The Flyers begin the night seven points back of the Montreal Canadiens of the final wild card position in the Eastern Conference.
The Flyers are 6-2-1 this season when they generate 40 or more shots on net. One of those two losses came against the Capitals with the other against the Penguins on Feb. 11.
Nolan Patrick will be a game-time decision after taking a puck to the back of the head in the first period of Sunday's 4-1 win at Nassau Coliseum. A cut to Patrick's head required six stitches to close. The Flyers center felt a little woozy and did not return to the game, but participated in Wednesday's morning skate.
Philadelphia Flyers
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I felt pretty good. I've never taken a shot off my head. It went through the back of my earpiece. That's the first time that's ever happened, just trying to get my blocked shot totals up a little bit.
• In his six appearances since returning from injury, Brian Elliott has been stellar with a 3-0-1 record, a 2.28 GAA and a .936 save percentage.
Right winger Jake Voracek will miss his second straight game with a lower-body injury. Prior to this season, Voracek had played the full slate in five of the past six seasons. The last time Voracek missed extensive time was for a foot injury in February 2016 that forced him to miss nine games.
• Defenseman Travis Sanheim comes into Wednesday with a five-game point streak with four goals and two assists.
In Sanheim's first 31 games under Dave Hakstol, he had just ten points while averaging 16:06 TOI. However, under Scott Gordon, Sanheim has seen his role expand with 19 points and 21:22 TOI in his last 35 games.
• Goaltender Carter Hart took the morning skate with his teammates, but will not dress against the Capitals. Head coach Scott Gordon said Tuesday he doesn't believe Hart will be ready for the Mar. 9 game against the Islanders.
After scoring Mar. 1 against the Islanders, Alex Ovechkin became the first player in NHL history with ten 45-goal seasons, topping Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy's nine.
Ovechkin can also become the first player ever to finish atop the goal-scoring race eight times in his career, as he's currently tied with Bobby Hull.
• Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby is currently one win shy of 250 career victories. If he beats the Flyers, Holtby would become the second-fastest reach that mark in 409 games, trailing only Ken Dryden, who needed just 381 games.
Projected lineup
Forwards
Claude Giroux - Nolan Patrick - Travis Konecny
Oskar Lindblom - Sean Couturier - Michael Raffl
James van Riemsdyk - Scott Laughton - Ryan Hartman
Phil Varone - Corban Knight - Justin Bailey
Defensemen
Ivan Provorov - Travis Sanheim
Robert Hägg- Radko Gudas
Shayne Gostisbehere - Philippe Myers
Goalies
Brian Elliott
Cam Talbot
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