Photo Credits: FNG’s Rob Windfelder
A much needed win for the Philadelphia Flyers over the Washington Capitals in Philly on Tuesday night. The Flyers have been struggling as of late, things have been breaking down, and the conversation has been getting a bit salty around the edges. So this win over a division rival was just what the doctor ordered.
Goaltending
The Flyers had their top goaltender in the net and he looked up to form as he continues to settle back in after missing several games due to injury. On most nights with Dan Vladar between the pipes you score three goals you win the game. The Caps outshot the Flyers 28-22 and there was a number of occasions where Vladar had to come up big.
At the other end of the ice it was Clay Stevenson starting just his 4th NHL game. He gave up three goals on 22 shots but he also gave up a lot of rebounds. He played a fine game but his puck control was not superb. There were a whole lot of dangerously orphaned pucks rolling around the Capital crease. The Flyers failed to capitalize on more than a few surprising opportunities.
Penalties
Nicolas Deslauriers took a tripping penalty 2:55 into the opening period and that was it. The Flyers wisely did not give the Capitals a chance to pick them apart with the man advantage. There was no tic-tac-toe to Ovi at the top of the circle stuff to deal with. The Flyers played it smart.
Philly vs Washington
The Flyers opened the scoring 5:56 into the 1st period. Owen Tippett scored his 19th goal of the season going across the slot forehand to backhand to tuck the puck behind the Washington netminder.
The Caps put the pressure on getting a number of quality chances and forcing Dan Vladar to come up with clusters of fine saves. Vladar was giving up some fat rebounds but he stood tall to clean up after himself.
At 4:45 into the 2nd period Nick Deslauriers picked up his first assist of the season passing the puck to Carl Grundstrom at the side of the net. Grundstrom looked like he may have been attempting to hit Sean Couturier with a pass out front. The pass ticked off a Capital skate and into the net. 2-0 Flyers.
The Flyers were on their 2nd power-play of the game when Aleaksei Protas scored a shorthanded goal on a 2-on-1 break 8:12 into the middle period. 2-1 Flyers.
Bobby Brink came ever so close to padding the Flyers lead picking up a stretch pass that sent him into the Washington zone on a clean breakaway. He had Stevenson right where he wanted him and fired the puck over the goaltender’s right shoulder. Double doink, crossbar to post, no goal.
Just 2:40 into the 3rd period Anthony Beauvillier picked up a juicy rebound right on the doorstep and fired a wrist shot past Dan Vladar to tie the game at two. It wasn’t until that very moment that you realized just how many Caps fans were in the building.
It looked like the Capitals may be about to turn things around on the Flyers. They were tightening the screws, hitting hard and checking tight. The ice was tilted for a bit until Justin Sourdif took a penalty for hooking Travis Konecny giving the Flyers another shot at the power-play.
PPG
Konecny hit a post, Zegras sent the puck back to Jamie Drysdale at the point. Drysdale fired the puck through a Christian Dvorak screen. The puck tipped off the edge of the goalie’s pad and shot up into the top of the net. 3-2 Flyers with 5:23 remaining in regulation.
The Flyers needed to buckle down and keep Washington at a distance. The Caps pulled their goaltender for the extra attacker. Owen Tippett had the puck on his stick at center ice heading towards the empty Washington net. Tom Wilson checked the stick right out of Tippett’s hands and it went flying across the ice and into the boards in front of the Flyers bench.
Flyers hang on
A time out was called with 1:24 remaining and a faceoff coming in the Flyers end. Washington won the faceoff right back to Alex Ovechkin who threw a heavy bomb of a shot to the Flyers net. Vladar made the save.
Rasmus Ristolainen got control of the puck at the faceoff dot in the Flyers zone and launched a long boy the length of the ice and into the open net. At that point the Flyers only had 17 seconds left to protect their two goal lead. Final score Philadelphia 4, Washington 2. The Flyers really needed this win, they have one more game Thursday night against the Senators before the Olympic break.
Extra Credit: Travis Konecny was playing in his 700th NHL game tonight, every single one of them as a Philadelphia Flyer. He picked up two assists on his milestone evening. Konecny is one of those players who is exactly what you want a Flyer to be. Loyal, tenacious, full of talent, speed, and just a terrible disposition towards anyone not wearing orange and black. He leads by example and the young players on this team would be wise to follow.
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