Five things to know about the Flyers today as they face Caps

Five things to know today about the fading Flyers (22-17-6) as they face the surging Capitals (28-9-5) on Sunday at the Verizon Center:

1. The 1 p.m. game matches teams going in opposite directions. The Flyers have lost 10 of their last 13. Washington has won six straight, including a 6-0 win over Chicago on Friday. In the teams' first meeting , Wayne Simmonds had the shootout winner and Steve Mason stopped 36 of 38 shots as the host Flyers prevailed, 3-2, on Dec. 21.

2. Expected goalie matchup: Mason (14-14-6, 2.87 GAA, .901 save percentage) vs. backup Caps goalie Philipp Grubauer (7-1-1, 1.94, .929). As you can see by his numbers, Grubauer has excelled. Starter Braden Holtby, who has been sensational, is expected to get a breather because the Caps play in Pittsburgh on Monday.

3. Washington is 17-5-1 at home and has won five straight at the Verizon Center, where it is on a 9-1-1 run. The Flyers have lost eight straight (0-6-2) on the road.

4. The Flyers' power play has regained its form; the rest of their game hasn't. The Flyers are 6 for 16 on the power play in their last three games.

5. Brayden Schenn  has a five-game points streak (four goals, one assist), matching his career high. He leads the NHL with 11 power-play goals.