Flyers vs. Capitals: Preview, game time, TV info, lineup and more

The Flyers (15-24-9) open an eight-game homestand Thursday night when they host the Capitals (27-15-9).

Let's get into the essentials for the game:

When: 7 p.m. ET with The Warm Up at 6 p.m. ET and Flyers Pregame Live at 6:15 p.m. ET
Where: Wells Fargo Center
Broadcast: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Live stream: NBCSportsPhiladelphia.com and the NBC Sports MyTeams app

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• Gerry Mayhew will return to the lineup after missing the Flyers' 5-4 OT loss Tuesday night to the Penguins because of a swollen eye.

Mayhew took a scary spill into the back boards during the third period of the Flyers' 4-2 loss last Saturday to the Red Wings in Detroit. He was left bleeding profusely from his face and was assisted off the ice by Flyers director of medical services Jim McCrossin.

The 29-year-old winger needed 12 stitches — six inside and six outside — around his eye, which was severely swollen over the next couple of days.

"It's actually a lot better today," Mayhew said Thursday after morning skate. "Last couple of days it has gotten a lot better."

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Mayhew didn't suffer any type of head injury.

"I didn't know where I was bleeding from, apparently it was my nose and my eye," he said. "I didn't panic, but I was like, 'This could be bad.'"

After signing a one-year, $800,000 deal over the summer, Mayhew has three goals in 14 games. He'll be back on the third line tonight.

"It kind of flashed before your eyes," Mayhew said. "You look up and the boards are there and next thing you know, you're bleeding. It was a tough situation, kind of unlucky but glad I can heal up and be better now."

• The Flyers are playing the Capitals in the second of four meetings this season.

They beat Washington, 2-1, back on Nov. 6, when they improved to 6-2-2. Sean Couturier and Derick Brassard provided the goals.

The Flyers have gone 9-22-7 since then.

Mike Yeo is now interim head coach. Couturier (back) is out for the season and tonight Brassard (hip) will miss his 29th game out of the team's last 32.

While the focus for management has shifted to next season and evaluating who will be a part of it, Yeo wants to win games. After all, he's coaching for a job either here or elsewhere. So he'll continue to balance the injuries, the younger players and the veterans.

"My mindset hasn't changed," Yeo said. "We have to build a game that allows you to win. We can play young players, we can do all that kind of stuff, but bottom line is, as long as I'm here, those guys have to do certain things.

"As far as winning hockey games, what that takes with the puck, without the puck, the work ethic that's required, the preparation that's required. That's my mindset every day. Doesn't matter what our lineup looks like, we could have 10 NHL players out like we have right now, but as far as I'm concerned, we play the game and we play the game to win.

"We come into every single game, we prepare our guys, we teach our guys and that's our expectation."

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• Martin Jones will play his first game in 23 days.

The 32-year-old goalie made 31 saves when the Flyers beat the Capitals in early November.