Mantha, Capitals Dominate Flyers

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

In their first tour on the ice following the trade deadline, one team looked motivated from their new addition and the other look lifeless. The Flyers came out flat and Washington came out and skated circles around them.

In his first game with the Capitals, Anthony Mantha had a goal and an assist as the Flyers were once again throttled by the opposition, falling to the Capitals, 6-1, on Tuesday night.

It was complete domination from the drop of the puck for the Capitals. It took until 7:07 for them to get a goal, but they had control of the puck in the Flyers done for roughly 45 seconds with the Flyers all out of sorts until Conor Sheary finally got Brian Elliott down and out and buried his chance from an angle.

Just under two minutes later, the Flyers got on the board off a turnover, as James van Riemsdyk put a puck on net that was tipped in by Sean Couturier, tying the game at one at 8:45.

The Capitals power play took over shortly after. On the man-advantage at 11:32, Tom Wilson got the payoff to make it 2-1. 

Back on the power play just about five minutes later, another goal for Washington as Nicklas Backstrom was left alone at the side of the net and scored to make it 3-1.

Less than two minutes later, Washington struck again for the fourth time in the period. Carl Hagelin got the goal, walking in alone after another prolonged shift in the offensive zone.

Through 20 minutes, shots were 18-9 Washington. 

The Flyers had the only power play of the second period and did not score. 

The Capitals extended their lead shortly after the Flyers power play at 9:22. It was the newcomer Mantha picking up his first goal with the Capitals and second point of the game with a quick release from the slot to make it 5-1.

Shots through 40 minutes were 26-15 Washington. 

Washington got the only goal of the third period as well, with Alex Ovechkin scoring his 728th career goal on the power play.

Ilya Samsonov made 29 saves in the win. Elliott stopped 26 of 32 shots.

Ovechkin, Mantha, Backstrom and Wilson each had a goal and an assist. John Carlson had a pair of assists. Sheary had a goal and two assists.

The Flyers next game is on Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins at 7 p.m.

Box Score

Scoring Summary

1st Period

• WSH Conor Sheary (11) (Daniel Sprong, Lars Eller) 7:07
• PHI Sean Couturier (13) (James van Riemsdyk) 8:45
• WSH Tom Wilson (11) PP (Sheary, Anthony Mantha) 11:32
• WSH Nicklas Backstrom (14) PP (Alex Ovechkin, John Carlson) 16:25
• WSH Carl Hagelin (5) (Carlson, Dmitry Orlov) 18:21

2nd Period

• WSH Mantha (12) (T.J. Oshie, Backstrom) 9:22

3rd Period

• WSH Ovechkin (22) PP (Wilson, Sheary) 5:10

Game Statistics