The Flyers carried a 1-0 lead through much of the second period on Sunday, but it was not enough as they fell 3-2 to the NHL-best Washington Capitals.
A pair of goals just 1:09 apart at the tail end of the second period from Alex Ovechkin and Dmitry Orlov gave the Capitals (38-9-4) a 2-1 lead that carried over into the second period, and though Nick Schultz tied the game just 51 seconds into the third stanza, for his first of the season and first in over a calendar year (his last goal came on Feb. 5, 2015, against the New York Islanders).
Matt Niskanen gave the Capitals their lead at 5:24 of the third period, and the Caps were able to stay disciplined and took no penalties for the rest of the game. Niskanen's goal was his third of the season, and first since Oct. 15.
The seminal moment for the Flyers (23-19-9) was missing out on a 5-on-3 opportunity midway through the second period. They had a two-man advantage for 1:07, as Tom Wilson sat for interference and Ovechkin took the fall for too many men on the ice. In total, the Flyers were held scoreless on five power-play opportunities.
Michael Del Zotto opened the scoring for the Orange and Black with his fourth goal of the season 1:39 to play in the first period, and Shayne Gostisbehere and Nick Cousins each earned the assists. Gostisbehere's assist extended his points streak to eight games, while Cousins' was his first-ever NHL point — a feat that took 17 games to accomplish.
Braden Holtby held steady in goal for the Capitals, turning away 33 of 35 shots that he faced. Steve Mason made 27 saves on 30 shots.
The Flyers return home on Tuesday for a matchup with Anaheim, which will begin a three-game homestand. They will reprise their season series with the Capitals on March 30.
Rob Riches is a contributor to Flyerdelphia and Sports Talk Philly. Follow him on Twitter @Riches61
