Photo Credits: FNG’s Rob Windfelder
This was the game that everyone needed after Monday night’s disaster at home against the lowly New York Rangers. The Flyers needed it. Their fans needed it. Samuel Ersson needed it. Wednesday night’s 4-1 victory over the Washington Capitals in Philly was just what the doctor ordered. Redemption.
Philly vs Washington
This was the 1st game of a back-to-back with the Flyers headed to Minnisota to take on the Wild Thursday night. Samuel Ersson got the start in the Flyers net. It was his third strong outing in a row counting the 3rd period of the Rangers game on Monday night where he stopped 3 of 3 shots after taking over for Dan Vladar.
The Capitals got on the board first 9:51 into the 1st period on the power-play. Alex Ovechkin won a board battle and dished the puck to Ryan Leonard. Leonard cut towards the slot and beat Ersson with a snap shot to take the early lead. It wasn’t till the reaction to this goal that you realized just how many Washington fans were in the building. It was loud.
There were several penalties in the opening period. The Flyers went 0-for-2 on the power-play. We also got to see some 4-on-4 hockey and a 4-on-3 power-play for the Caps none of which changed anything on the scoreboard.
Turn Around
The Flyers started to take control of this game 4:23 into the 2nd period. Travis Sanheim made a cross ice pass to Travis Konecny who fired a wrist shot from the dot short-side past Caps netminder Logan Thompson. Konecny scored his 24th goal of the season as he celebrated his 29th trip around the sun. Alex Bump picked up the secondary assist.
Samuel Ersson made a huge stop beating Tom Wilson on a breakaway. Ersson was solid and confident in the Flyers net. He looked determined to keep the Capitals at bay, and that is exactly what he did. He did not allow another goal for the rest of the night. This kept the momentum flowing in the Flyers direction.
Travis Konecny
Monday night was Travis Konecny’s first game back after missing several games due to injury. It was noticeable that he wore a helmet during the pre-game warmup. Lots of players do, but Konecny never does.
You have to wonder if the bucket was an extra precaution, something to do with the injury perhaps? That being said shortly after scoring the 1st Flyers goal TK was on the receiving end of a nasty Tom Wilson hit that took him down to his knees where he remained for an extended period of time.
He got up on his own and did not go up the tunnel. He returned to the Flyers bench but still looked a bit rattled. There was no concussion protocol trip to the locker room. He stayed on the bench and took his next shift. …And boy did he looked pissed.
Tip-Tac-Toe
It was 12:13 into the middle period when Owen Tippett and Trevor Zegras broke into the Washington zone on a 2-on-1. Tippett nudged the puck to Zegras who carried across the blue line. Zegras opted for the pass to Tippett. Tippett chose to pass it right back. They were quickly running out of time and space. It was looking like a “one pass too many” type of situation but it was not. Zegras smacked it home and the Flyers had their go-ahead goal.
Play was getting increasingly physical as the 2nd period was winding down. Carl Grundstrom put a clean and almost comical revenge hit on Tom Wilson that knocked him head first clear off his feet.
Finish it off
Jamie Drysdale scored the insurance goal 12:43 into the 3rd period. It was a beautiful wrist shot from the slot. Drysdale took the time to reposition himself as a lane opened up and he delivered the puck through traffic.
Samuel Ersson continued his solid performance. Alex Ovechkin had a team high five shots on goal, none of them made it past the Flyers goaltender.
The final period was plenty physical and often chippy. Owen Tippett had another hard checking game and led the Flyers in shots on goal with six. He just kept driving to the net all night long. It was fitting that he scored the empty net goal to give the Flyers the 4-1 lead.
Ersson made a final stop as time ran out and another scrum erupted in the Flyers crease. Ersson skated away and watched as the two teams scrapped one last time before leaving the ice. This game was everything it needed to be.
Next Up: The Flyers will be in Minnesota to face Bobby Brink and the Wild Thursday night at 8PM.
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