Capitals Hold On to Hand Flyers 8th Straight Loss

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

For 20 minutes, the Flyers held their own against the top team in the Metropolitan Division. In the second period, the wheels fell off again.

Three second period goals paced the Washington Capitals to the win, despite a late push from the Flyers. The 5-3 defeat was the eighth straight loss for the Flyers.

The Flyers started Mike McKenna in goal, the seventh different goalie to start for the Flyers this season. That tied an NHL record, as they were the fourth team to play seven goalies in a season.

On the first shot McKenna faced, the Capitals scored. Jakub Vrana used his speed to beat Travis Sanheim to a loose puck and centered for Tom Wilson, who buried the backdoor chance to make it 1-0 Washington at 4:21.

The Flyers tied the game off a Washington turnover, with Oskar Lindblom setting up Jake Voracek for the goal.

Through 20 minutes, the Flyers outshot the Capitals, 11-4.

In the second, the Flyers and Capitals held at the 1-1 score for nearly half the period. Finally, Washington broke the draw. Lars Eller let off a long-range shot that was deflected in the slot by T.J. Oshie. 

Just two minutes later, Vrana took a Flyers miscue at the Washington line and sped the other way on a breakaway, beat McKenna to make it 3-1.

Vrana added a second goal on the power play with just over four minutes remaining in the period. In an attempt to center a pass to Alex Ovechkin, the pass hit the pads of McKenna and went in.

In the third, the Flyers cut into the lead with the net empty twice. First, Wayne Simmonds scored on a second chance to cut the lead to two with just over three minutes remaining. The Capitals appeared to ice the game with an empty net goal, but it was disallowed on an offside challenge. The Flyers got another goal with six seconds remaining as Claude Giroux scored on a one-timer. Oshie scored his second goal of the game into the empty net off the ensuing face-off.

McKenna made 21 saves in the loss. Pheonix Copley made 37 saves in the win.

The Flyers get back on the ice on Thursday night at home as they host the Dallas Stars at 7 p.m.

Box Score

Scoring Summary

1st Period

• WSH Tom Wilson (13) (Jakob Vrana) 4:21
• PHI Jake Voracek (11) (Oskar Lindblom) 9:28

2nd Period

• WSH T.J. Oshie (12) (Lars Eller, John Carlson) 9:19
• WSH Vrana (13) (Unassisted) 11:22
• WSH Vrana (14) PP (Travis Boyd, Carlson) 15:55

3rd Period

• PHI Wayne Simmonds (13) (Voracek, Sean Couturier) 16:33
• PHI Claude Giroux (14) (Couturier, Voracek) 19:53
• WSH Oshie (13) EN (Unassisted) 19:57

Game Statistics