Flyers Roll to Victory Over Capitals

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

There was a lot of reflection following the Flyers 5-0 loss to New Jersey on Thursday. On one hand, it was just one game with more opportunities ahead to gain points in the standings and make a playoff push. On the other, it was a missed opportunity.

The Flyers made the most of a chance to get back on track against the Metro's top team. The Flyers scored three goals early in the second and added three more in the third on their way to a 7-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday night.

The Capitals opened up the game with the first five shots of the period. The Flyers eventually closed the gap, finishing the period trailing in shots, 11-9.

The Flyers got an opportunity to get on the board first with the game's first power play and did just nine seconds in. Claude Giroux fed Sean Couturier at the left circle and he fired a one-timer home for his 14th goal of the season at 15:22.

The Capitals were able to answer before the end of the period on a power play of their own. With all eyes on Alex Ovechkin, approaching 700 career goals, Jakub Vrana fed T.J. Oshie in the slot instead for the one-timer, beating Brian Elliott to tie the game up at one at 18:18.

From a tie game late in the first, the Flyers opened up the second with three goals in the first 4:30.

First, Nicolas Aube-Kubel made a nice move to set up Michael Raffl for a one-timer at 2:45. Just 14 seconds later, Jake Voracek connected with Couturier, springing him on a breakaway. Couturier made a move on Braden Holtby and scored for his second goal of the game to make it 3-1.

Just 91 seconds later, James van Riemsdyk deflected a point shot by Matt Niskanen to make it 4-1, completing a stretch of three goals in 2:45.

For the rest of the period, the Flyers had to kill off three penalties to maintain the three-goal lead and did successfully. 

Early in the third, the Flyers added to the lead. Off a turnover, Aube-Kubel scored to make it 5-1 at 2:58. Travis Konecny scored at 5:47 on a tip in front to make it 6-1. On a 5-on-3 at 8:02, Giroux got on the board to make it 7-1.

With under eight minutes remaining, the Capitals did get another goal as Evgeny Kuznetsov was able to get a shot under Elliott that hit off the stick of Niskanen to cap the scoring.

Elliott made 25 saves in the win. Holtby allowed seven goals on 25 shots before being pulled. Ilya Samsonov made a save on the only shot he faced for the rest of the game.

In addition to Couturier's two-goal game, Voracek, Aube-Kubel and Konecny each had two points. Aube-Kubel also had a fight with Brendan Leipsic to complete the Gordie Howe hat trick in the third. Giroux finished the game with a goal and two assists for a three-point game. 

The Flyers get back on the ice on Monday night as they take on the Florida Panthers at Wells Fargo Center at 7 p.m.

Box Score

Scoring Summary

1st Period

• PHI Sean Couturier (14) PP (Claude Giroux, Jake Voracek) 15:22
• WSH T.J. Oshie (20) PP (Jakub Vrana, Nicklas Backstrom) 18:18

2nd Period

• PHI Michael Raffl (6) (Nicolas Aube-Kubel) 2:45
• PHI Couturier (15) (Voracek, Justin Braun) 2:59
• PHI James van Riemsdyk (15) (Matt Niskanen, Tyler Pitlick) 4:30

3rd Period

• PHI Aube-Kubel (3) (Unassisted) 2:58
• PHI Travis Konecny (18) (Giroux) 5:47
• PHI Giroux (14) PP (Konecny) 8:02
• WSH Evgeny Kuznetsov (19) (Oshie, Martin Fehervary) 12:17

Game Statistics