The Philadelphia Flyers started up a set of back-to-back games Wednesday night as they took on the Washington Capitals at the Xfinity Mobile Arena. Sam Ersson got the start in net, and there were no changes to the lineup. The Flyers started the back-to-back with a four-to-one victory. They’d give up the first goal but never looked back afterward. In a game where things were physical all night, the Flyers still managed to pick up two valuable points. The orange and black improved to 30-23-11 on the season.
The Flyers got the game’s first power play at the 4:16 mark of the first period as Timothy Liljegren was called for holding. Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson only had to make one save on Jamie Drysdale’s shot from the blue line. They moved the puck around pretty well, but the Capitals intercepted a few passes and cleared the puck down.
Trevor Zegras got called for hooking at the 9:03 mark of the first. This gave the Capitals their first power play. They’d capitalize thanks to Ryan Leonard. He took a pass from Alex Ovechkin and put a snapshot under the blocker of Ersson from the left circle. 1-0 Capitals. Ovechkin and Pierre-Luc Dubois tallied assists.
Jakob Chychrun was called for hooking at the 11:57 mark of the first period, which gave the Flyers their second power play. It was another power play in which the Flyers recorded only one shot on net. Cam York had a shot blocked by Trevor van Riemsdyk, and Thompson made a save on Alex Bump.
The game went to four-on-four at the 14:03 mark of the first as Nikita Grebenkin and Brandon Duhaime both got called for roughing. Ersson made a save on Justin Sourdif, and that’s about it. With 49 seconds remaining, Rasmus Ristolainen was called for tripping. The Capitals went on a four-on-three and then would receive their second power play. The Capitals had a few shots go just wide, and York and Seeler blocked a few shots. No goals were scored.
Travis Konecny tied the game up at one for the Flyers at the 4:23 mark of the second period. He took a cross-ice pass from Travis Sanheim and put a snapshot off both legs of Thompson and in from the right circle. Sanheim and Alex Bump picked up assists.
The Flyers took a 2-1 lead at the 12:13 mark of the second courtesy of Zegras. He went on a two-on-one with Owen Tippett. Zegras finished with a wrist shot over the glove of Thompson and just below the crossbar. Tippett and Carl Grunsdtrom were given assists.
Konecny and Tom Wilson were called for roughing at the 6:09 mark of the third period. This made the game go to four-on-four for the second time. The Flyers took advantage and took a 3-1 lead at the 7:17 mark. Noah Cates, from below the goal line, found Jamie Drysdale in the slot, and he put a wrist shot past the blocker of Thompson. Assists went to Cates and York.
The Capitals went on their third power play at the 8:46 mark of the third as Sean Couturier was called for slashing. Leonard rang a shot off the post, and Ersson made a big save on Wilson from in tight. The Flyers were also able to clear the puck down a few times.
Thompson was pulled with 2:00 remaining in the third period in favor of the extra attacker with the Capitals down by two. It backfired, however, as Tippett scored an empty-netter at the 18:57 mark. His wrist shot from the neutral zone went off of Chychrun and rolled into the empty net. This gave the Flyers a 4-1 lead. Christian Dvorak and Cates tallied assists.
Flyers went zero for two on the power play and killed off two of the three Capitals’ man advantages.
Ersson saved 22 of 23 shots, giving him a .957 save percentage.
Goal Summary
1st Period:
Leonard (13) (Power Play) Assists: Ovechkin (27), Dubois (3)
2nd Period:
Konecny (24) Assists: Sanheim (21), Bump (1)
Zegras (22) Assists: Tippett (18), Grundstrom (3)
3rd Period:
Drysdale (7) Assists: Cates (21), York (20)
Tippett (21) Assists: Dvorak (25), Cates (22)
Flyers Next Game
Flyers next game is Thursday, Mar. 12, in Minnesota against the Wild.
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