Photo: Len Redkoles/Getty Images

The Washington Capitals defeated the Philadelphia Flyers by a score of 6-3 at Wells Fargo Center on Saturday afternoon. The win lifted the Capitals four points ahead of the New York Islanders for first place in the East Division, though the Islanders now have a game in hand of the Capitals. Goaltender Ilya Samsonov made 22 saves in the victory.

Capitals’ Lines at Flyers

Photo: @Capitals

The Capitals made no line changes on forward and defense from their 5-2 loss against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.

First Period

Captain Alex Ovechkin one-timed a rocket from the top of the left dot after getting fed by defenseman John Carlson from up top to open the scoring for the Capitals on the power play 3:38 in. Flyers goaltender Alex Lyon was the 138th different goalie that Ovechkin has scored on in his career. Ovechkin’s six-game goal-scoring streak against the Flyers is tied for the longest against a single opponent in his career (Tampa Bay Lightning: November 10, 2008 to March 27, 2009).

Blink and ya miss it pic.twitter.com/EHxVVB9Lv3

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 17, 2021

Defenseman Ivan Provorov blasted one from the top past a screened Samsonov to the glove side after getting a feed from forward Claude Giroux from down the half-wall to tie it with one second left in the period.

The Capitals led 11-6 in shots and scored on one of their two power plays in the first.

The Flyers led 8-7 in hits, 6-5 in blocked shots, had two giveaways while the Capitals had three, won 69% of the draws, and failed to score on one man advantage in the opening 20 minutes.

Each team was credited with one takeaway through one.

Second Period

Defenseman Dmitry Orlov blasted one past the blocker of Lyon after getting Carlson’s rim of the puck around the boards off of the half-wall to give the Capitals the lead back just 33 seconds into the second. With the goal, Orlov extended his point-streak to four games, where he has recorded two goals and four points, and notched his seventh of the season, tied for his total over the previous two seasons.

Dmitry Scoarlov cannot be stopped pic.twitter.com/qfRRAf79Uq

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 17, 2021

Forward James Van Riemsdyk deked and slipped one through the five-hole of Samsonov on a breakaway after forward Nicklas Aube-Kubel forced the Capitals into a turnover and caught them up high to tie it at 5:28.

Ovechkin uncorked a one-timer after getting a pass by Carlson from up top off of a faceoff win four seconds into a power-play to retake the lead for the Capitals at 6:15. Saturday’s game marked the 149th time in his career Ovechkin has scored at least two goals (fourth in NHL history). Carlson earned his third primary assist of the game on the goal for the ninth time in his career.

Anotha ☝️ pic.twitter.com/2ohsm7XWU3

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 17, 2021

Center Evgeny Kuznetsov deked and roofed one past the blocker of Lyon on a semi-breakaway after getting a no-look spin-o-rama feed from the half-wall by forward Tom Wilson all alone in front to double the Capitals’ lead with 4:58 left in the second. Carlson recorded his fourth assist of the game with a secondary helper on the play for the first time in his career. Kuznetsov earned his 25th career three-point game.

HOLY SAUCE pic.twitter.com/wDPnjua2qY

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 17, 2021

The Capitals led 30-16 in shots, including 19-10 in the second, 3-2 in takeaways, had five giveaways while the Flyers had six, and scored on two of their three power-plays in the first 40 minutes.

The Flyers led 15-14 in hits, won 59% of the dots, and failed to score on two power plays through two.

Each team posted 10 blocked shots in the first two periods.

Third Period

Forward Wade Allison slammed home a tic-tac-toe passing play with center Kevin Hayes and forward Claude Giroux from down low into a wide open net to bring the Flyers within one at 7:02. It was his first career NHL goal.

Forward Conor Sheary deflected defenseman Justin Schultz’s point shot from the slot off of a faceoff win to restore the Capitals’ two-goal lead 2:13 later. Schultz earned his 16th primary assist of the season (tied for sixth among NHL defensemen). Sheary has five points (including three goals) against the Flyers this season, a season-high against an opponent.

TIP TIP TIPADELPHIA pic.twitter.com/BnJTGJm9Bf

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 17, 2021

Forward Anthony Mantha shot one from the defensive blueline into the empty net to make it 6-3 with 1:12 left. Mantha has recorded three goals and four points in three games since being acquired in a trade with the Detroit Red Wings on Monday.

Anthony Mantha scores an empty net goal, his third goal in three games with the Capitals. He is the fourth player in franchise history to score a goal in his first three games with the Capitals.

— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) April 17, 2021

The Capitals led 41-25 in shots, including 11-9 in the third, 5-4 in takeaways, had five giveaways while the Flyers had nine, and scored on two of their five power-plays.

The Flyers led 24-17 in hits, 15-12 in blocked shots, won 61% of the dots, and scored once on their four power plays.

The Capitals face the Boston Bruins in Beantown on Sunday afternoon. Action from TD Garden can be seen on NBC beginning at 12 PM ET.

By Harrison Brown