Washington Capitals
Last week, the Flyers had to completed a massive comeback to secure a win and two points against the Penguins, and it was their only win of the three-game series. They wrap up a three-game week with the Capitals on Saturday night, desperately in need of a win to get back on track in the division race.
Thursday’s game was just another example of how ugly it’s been lately. Washington didn’t have to look their best to put a stranglehold on this game. And on a night when Washington, Boston, and the Islanders all picked up two more points in the standings with wins, the Flyers fell just a little farther behind in the race. Those points are costly no matter when they are lost.
Another mistake-filled game by the Flyers led to another loss, as the Capitals claimed their second win over the Flyers this week, 5-3, at Wells Fargo Center.
After a 3-1 loss to Washington on Sunday night, the Capitals are back at Wells Fargo Center to face the Flyers for the next two games, starting with the third meeting of the season between the two teams on Thursday night.
The 3-1 loss to Washington marked the end of a 1-3-0 week for the Flyers, that produced just two points in the standings and pushed them below the playoff line. At 22 games into the season, there is still time left in the season and the panic button shouldn’t be pushed just yet. But there are ongoing trends that don’t bode well for the Flyers if this continues in the weeks ahead.
The Capitals grabbed two goals late in the second, then another in the third as they closed out a 3-1 result on Sunday night at Wells Fargo Center.
The Flyers will take on the Washington Capitals three times this week, starting with a Sunday night meeting to close out a stretch of six games in nine nights.
The NHL has announced that the Flyers game on Sunday against the New York Rangers has also been postponed. The league is expected to be able to re-open training facilities on Monday. Their next game would come against the Rangers on Thursday, Feb. 18.
The Flyers game on Tuesday night against the Washington Capitals has also been postponed, in addition to their games on Thursday and Saturday against the New Jersey Devils, as a result of ongoing COVID-19 issues with the Flyers.
Perhaps the biggest moment though was the return to the lineup of a player the Flyers had desperately needed to get back, and while his presence didn’t solve all of their problems, it did help them get back in the win column. Here are five takeaways from Sunday’s 7-4 win over the Capitals.
