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Flyers honor Hextall, host Capitals

Feb 6, 2008 - 1:06 PM Washington (25-24-5) at Philadelphia (30-17-5) 7:00 pm EST

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) - While still focusing on the present, the Philadelphia Flyers will honor a member of their past Wednesday.

The Flyers will induct former goaltender Ron Hextall into their Hall of Fame in a ceremony prior to their game against Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals.

A sixth-round pick in the 1982 draft, Hextall burst onto the scene in the City of Brotherly Love in 1986-87, winning the Vezina Trophy as a rookie and leading Philadelphia to within one win of the Stanley Cup championship.

Currently the assistant general manager of the Los Angeles Kings, the 43-year-old Hextall posted a 240-172-58 record and 2.91 goals-against average over 11 seasons with the Flyers. He also is the only goaltender in NHL history to score two goals by actually shooting the puck into the opponents' net.

Hextall will become the 19th player inducted into the Flyers Hall of Fame, joining such legends as Bobby Clarke, Bernie Parent and Bill Barber.

Once the festivities conclude, Philadelphia will look to post its ninth win in 11 games. It won its second consecutive contest Tuesday, when rookie Steve Downie scored with 4:29 remaining in the third period to snap a tie and lift the club to a 3-2 triumph at Atlanta.

Following his first career hat trick in Saturday's 3-0 victory over Anaheim, Mike Knuble opened the scoring with his 20th goal, marking the fifth straight season he has reached the plateau.

The Flyers will have to find a way to control Ovechkin, who has scored six of his league-leading 45 goals in his last three games. The Capitals won two of those contests, with the All-Star Russian scoring the winning tally in overtime in both victories.

Philadelphia, which leads the Atlantic Division with 65 points, is 2-0-1 against Washington this season, with both wins coming on the road. The Capitals posted a 4-3 overtime triumph at the Wachovia Center on November 23, when rookie Nicklas Backstrom netted the winning goal.

Tied for third in the Southeast Division with 55 points, Washington also has been hot of late. The Capitals recorded their seventh win in 10 games Tuesday, when they edged the Columbus Blue Jackets in overtime, 4-3.

All-Star Mike Richards leads the Flyers with three goals in the season series against the Capitals, while Ovechkin and defenseman Mike Green each have scored twice vs. Philadelphia.