Flyers-Capitals 5 things: All cards stacked heavily against Flyers

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Flyers (30-26-7) at Capitals (43-13-7)
7:30 p.m. on CSN, CSNPhilly.com and the NBC Sports App; Pregame Live at 7

The Flyers take their two-game winning streak to the nation's capital where they face the NHL-leading Washington Capitals on Saturday night at the Verizon Center.

Here are five things to know for the game.

1. Scene of the crime
The Flyers return to the arena where they were embarrassed before their NHL mandated bye week.

Back on Jan. 15, the Capitals bombarded the Flyers with four goals in five minutes of the third period to turn a competitive 1-0 game into a 5-0 laugher.

It sent the Flyers off into the break with a nasty taste in their mouths.

And they still have it.

"When a team beats you up like that, it doesn't matter who it is, it's in the back of your mind," Brandon Manning said Friday. "It even goes back to last year in the playoffs."

2. Added ammunition
As if the Capitals weren't loaded enough, they went out and acquired defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk from the Blues at the trade deadline.

The 2015 All-Star joins the league's stoutest defense and brings 42 points (11 goals, 31 assists) to the table, tied for the fifth most among NHL blueliners.

So, yes, Washington just got better.

The Capitals are 23-4-2 since New Year's Eve, a stretch in which they've scored 117 markers and yielded 58, a goal differential of plus-59.

Oh, and they're also riding a franchise-record 14-game home winning streak.

3. Net gain?
Steve Mason said there were no contract talks with the Flyers leading up to the deadline. The team then went out and re-signed Michal Neuvirth to a multi-year extension.

Both were set to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Neuvirth no longer is, while his goalie partner looks destined for the market.

Maybe this was the motivation Mason needed for the remainder of the 2016-17 season. A day after the deadline passed, the 28-year-old delivered 39 saves in a 2-1 shootout win over the Panthers.

Mason, who is 2-0-0 with 72 saves on 73 shots his last two games, will receive his third straight start on Saturday.

"I didn't really plan on negotiating until the summer," Mason said Friday. "And this summer, I'll be a free agent. I'm not sure I'm in their plans here.

"For me, my job is to get this team in the playoffs and that's my sole focus right now. If I can finish strong here, summertime will take care of itself."

4. Keep an eye on ...
Flyers: Valtteri Filppula had a very positive and impactful Flyers debut. He worked well with Jakub Voracek and Brayden Schenn. Let's see if he can be a difference-maker against high-powered Washington.

Capitals: Alex Ovechkin is pointless over his past four games, tied for his longest skid of the season. You know that won't continue through Saturday on home ice, so expect a bang from the big Russian.

5. This and that
• Mason is 9-6-2 with a 2.82 goals-against average and .904 save percentage in 18 career games against the Capitals.

• Washington goalie Braden Holtby is 33-8-5 with a 1.91 goals-against average and eight shutouts -- both best in the NHL.

Travis Konecny will return to the lineup after missing nine games with an ankle and knee injury.

• Capitals forward T.J. Oshie will be back in the lineup after missing four games with an upper-body injury.

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