Rivalry Night on NBCSN: Reacquired Gagne looks to lead Flyers past Capitals

Feb 27, 2013, 8:03 AM EDT

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Throughout the season, NBCSN will feature the NHL’s fiercest rivalries on Wednesday nights. Tonight the Washington Capitals will head to the Wells Fargo Center for a match against the Philadelphia Flyers at 7:30 p.m. ET.

After a devastating 4-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday, Flyers GM Paul Holmgren made his first effort of the season to try and right the ship by acquiring a familiar face in Simon Gagne from the Los Angeles Kings.

“It’s going to be a special game,” Gagne said of tonight’s contest in a Philadelphia Inquirer report, “but I’ll try to take all that emotion and try to bring that energy to the game.”

For Gagne, this will be the start of a quest for redemption. Mere months after helping the Kings win the Stanley Cup, Gagne found himself being pushed out of the Kings’ lineup. Now that he’s got a chance to fill a hole on a battered squad, Philadelphia can only hope that he helps propel them out of mediocrity.

The Washington Capitals won’t get any major reinforcements for this game, but lately they’ve gotten something better: Alex Ovechkin playing like Alex Ovechkin.

The superstar forward hasn’t lived up to expectations in recent years, but he has broken out lately with six goals and 12 points in his last 10 games. His efforts have helped the Capitals win five of their last seven games as Washington tries to dig itself out of a rather sizable hole.

Both teams desperately need points as they try and overcome their early season slumps. That should make for a heated contest.

Probable goaltenders: WAS – Braden Holtby (6-6-0, 3.07 GAA, .905 SV%) | PHI – Ilya Bryzgalov (9-9-1, 2.79 GAA, .900 SV%)

Top scorers: WAS – Mike Ribeiro (6-16-22, 18 GP) | PHI – Jakub Voracek (8-16-24, 21 GP)

Notable Injuries:
Washington – Forwards: Marcus Johansson (upper body), Brooks Laich (groin) Defensemen: Jack Hillen (shoulder)
Philadelphia – Forwards: Tye McGinn (eye), Matt Read (ribs), Jody Shelley (hip) Defensemen: Andrej Meszaros (shoulder), Marc-Andre Bourdon (concussion), Chris Pronger (concussion) Defensemen: Goaltenders: Michael Leighton (finger)