Stayin’ Alive: Flyers hold off Capitals to force Game 5

(Photo Courtesy of Kate Frese/Kate Frese Photograph)

With their backs against the wall, The Philadelphia Flyers played their best game of the series.  Shayne Gostisbehere and Andrew MacDonald each scored. Michal Neuvirth was fantastic in goal and the Flyers defeated the Washington Capitals 2-1 on Wednesday night in Philadelphia.

Just like in game three, the Flyers had the jump early. Good forechecking led to an early power play. This time the Flyers made good use of the man advantage.

Shayne Gostisbehere scored his first goal of the playoffs at 5:51 of the period to gove the Flyers a 1-0 lead. Claude Giroux and Wayne Simmonds picked up the assists. It was the first power play goal in 14 chances for the Flyers this series.

Unlike in game three, the Flyers were able to hold the lead for more than just a few minutes. 

The physical play that we saw from the first three games also continued. Both teams exchanged big hits throughout the period. It came at cost for the Flyers when Scott Laughton was injured with about four minutes left in the period.

Laughton and John Carlson collided as they were coming down the wing. Laughton went down and then went shoulder first into the bottom of the boards and did not move. The team doctors called for the stretcher and Laughton was wheeled off to a standing ovation from the sellout crowd.

Michal Neuvirth made 10 saves in the period and the Flyers held a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes.

Andrew MacDonald extended the Flyers lead 3:51 into the second period. MacDonald took a pass from Simmonds and fired it past Braden Holtby for his first of the playoffs. Brayden Schenn picked up the other assist. 

The dreaded Capitals power play got their first chance of the game at 14:31 of the second when Sam Gagner was called for interference. The Flyers penalty killers did an outstanding job of keeping Washington to the outside and clearing pucks as they kept the Capitals off the board.

The Flyers would get their second man advantage of game with just over two minutes left in the period. It was short lived though as Jakub Voracek got whistled for holding just 30 seconds into the power play. 

Washington ended the period with 16 seconds of carry over power play time for the third.

Neuvirth once again stopped everything fired his way in the period and the Flyers held a 2-0 lead after 40 minutes of play.

T.J. Oshie got Washington to within one at 2:38 of the third period. Oshie found a puck through a scramble in front and beat Neuvirth with a backhander in tight for his first of the series. 

From there the Capitals began to push and push hard to tie the game. Neuvirth made several big saves to keep the Flyers ahead. Neuvirth made 31 saves in all including 12 in the final period.

In the end it wasn't enough and Philadelphia skated away with a 2-1 victory to force game five Friday night in Washington.

Bill Minchin is a contributing writer for Flyerdelphia. Follow Bill on Twitter @wtfd103074