Photo: X/@Capitals
The Washington Capitals rallied with five unanswered goals to down the Philadelphia Flyers, 5-2, Friday night at Capital One Arena in the District. The victory improves the Capitals record to 28-22-9 (65 points) on the season.
The Flyers opened the scoring less than two minutes into the contest and added a late power play goal for a 2-0 lead at the first intermission. But the Capitals would rally.
Alex Ovechkin opened the scoring for the Capitals early in the middle frame, Sonny Milano tied the game 2-2 midway through the middle frame and John Carlson gave the Capitals their first lead of the night just before the second intermission.
The Capitals stretched their lead to 4-2 on a power play goal from Anthony Mantha early in the final frame. Dylan Strome added his 22nd goal of the season to make it 5-2, the final.
LINEUP
Charlie Lindgren (12-9-5, 2.85 GAA, .908 sv%) got the start between the pipes for the Capitals. Samuel Ersson (17-11-4, 2.55 GAA, .901 sv%) got the start in goal for the visiting Flyers. The starting forward lines and defensive pairs for the Capitals:
Alex Ovechkin – Hendrix Lapierre – Tom Wilson
Mac Pacioretty – Dylan Strome – Sonny Milano
Aliaksei Protas – Connor McMichael – Anthony Mantha
Beck Malenstyn – Mike Sgarbossa – Nicolas Aube-Kubel-Kubel
Rasmus Sandin – John Carlson
Joel Edmundson – Nick Jensen
Alex Alexeyev – Trevor van Riemsdyk
Scratches:Ethan Bear, Pierrick Dube, Ivan Miroshnichenko, T.J. Oshie (upper-body injury, week-to-week), Nic Dowd (upper-body injury, day-to-day), Martin Fehervary (injury), Evgeny Kuznetsov (Player Assistance Program), Nicklas Backstrom (hip).
1ST PERIOD
The Flyers wasted little time in notching the game’s first tally. Bobby Brink knocked-home a rebound at 1:52 of the opening stanza.
BOBBY BRINK IS ON THE BOARD!!! 1-0 #FLYERS!!! pic.twitter.com/Hp4IAmBy0V
— Flyers Nation (@FlyersNation) March 2, 2024
The Flyers Owen Tippett made it 2-0 on a Flyers on the power play late in the period.
OWEN TIPPET WITH THE SHOOT AND SCORE WOOOOO 2-0 FLYERS THIS IS HUUUUGE pic.twitter.com/MPP2BjCwxS
— Philly Sports Sufferer (@mccrystal_alex) March 2, 2024
The first frame concluded with the Flyers holding the 2-0 lead. The Flyers led in five-on-five shot attempts, 16-10, and expected goals for (xGF) .99 to .74.
2ND PERIOD
The Capitals finally got on the scoreboard early in the second period on an Alex Ovechkin snipe. The goal was setup on a won face off by Hendrix Lapierre (6). Tom Wilson (12) had the primary assist.
Shake, Rattle and Rollin’ off the draw pic.twitter.com/wkqNK5GDH3
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 2, 2024
The Capitals tied the game midway through the middle frame on Sonny Milano’s seventh goal of the season. Max Pacioretty (11) had the lone helper. Milano has three goals in his first five game’s back following injury.
Obligatory It’s Always Sonny in Philadelphia reference pic.twitter.com/iy0JveEyPB
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 2, 2024
The Capitals took their first lead of the night on John Carlson’s fifth goal of the season at 17:45 of the second period. Hendrix Lapierre (7) and Rasmus Sandin (16) had the helpers.
John Carlson sneaks the wraparound past Ersson, giving Washington the lead late in the 2nd!#ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/WqKPYSa024
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) March 2, 2024
The Capitals held the 3-2 lead into the second intermission.
3RD PERIOD
The Capitals made it 4-2 on a power play goal from Anthony Mantha (19) at 6:04 of the third period. Dylan Strome (23) and Tom Wilson (13) had the assists.
Gorgeous, gorgeous work on the power play pic.twitter.com/3CTeGgJDF1
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 2, 2024
Former Washington Capitals winger Garnet Hathaway and Tom Wilson got into a minor tussle prior to the drop of the puck midway through the period, garnering double-minors for both.
Tom Wilson and Garnet Hathaway tangle up 👊🏼👀#NHL | #ALLCAPS | #LetsGoFlyers
pic.twitter.com/c9iPq2jUNe— The Cam & Strick Podcast (@CamandStrick) March 2, 2024
The Capitals;s made it 5-2 on Dylan Strome’s 22nd goal of the season at 15:38. Max Pacioretty (12) had the lone helper.
Dylan Strome adds a late insurance goal to the Washington lead, 5-2 Capitals!#ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/aeUTHzMNCH
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) March 2, 2024
The Capitals held on for the 5-2 win.
SHAVINGS (via Capitals PR)
- Alex Ovechkin scored his 17th goal of the season to cut the deficit to 2-1. It marks Ovechkin’s 839th career goal and his 48th career goal vs. Philadelphia. Ovechkin’s 48 goals against the Flyers are the third most he has scored against a single opponent (WPG/ATL: 53; TBL: 50).
- Hendrix Lapierre earned the secondary assist on the Ovechkin’s goal, his sixth assist of the season. Lapierre has recorded four points (3g, 1a) in his last three games since being recalled by Washington on Feb. 23.
- Sonny Milano scored his seventh goal of the season to tie the game 2-2. Milano has recorded four points (3g, 1a) in his last five games played.
- John Carlson scores his fifth goal of the season to give the Capitals their first lead of the game. Carlson extends his point streak to four games (2g, 2a).
- Hendrix Lapierre recorded the primary assist on the Capitals’ third goal, marking his second multi-point effort in his last three games and his fourth of the season.
- Anthony Mantha scored his 19th goal of the season (power play) to extend Washington’s lead to 4-2. Mantha, who ranks second on the Capitals in goals, has recorded 14 points (7g, 7a) in his last 15 games dating back to Jan. 23.
- The Capitals have scored a power-play goal in four-straight games and in seven of their last eight games. Since Feb. 8, the Capitals have converted on 11 of 28 power-play opportunities (39.3 percent).
- Tonight marks the first time the Capitals have scored five unanswered goals in a game since March 23, 2023 vs. Chicago.
By Jon Sorensen
Cool. Five unanswered. More of this, please!
You were, indeed, optimistic pre-game. I inquired why, but you never replied to impart your wisdom))
Nice win but it doesn’t change a thing. Let the trades begin!
That is the big uncertainty isn’t it — what does this say to Caps management, their brain trust? Does this tell them that by trading a few draft picks and prospects and picking up a few vets they can win the Stanley Cup this year? Is that going to be their reaction?
It’s not like it’s Stanley Cup or bust))
I had a bad feeling before the game. Carbs kinda in denial about some things (listening to the interviews and looking at some lineup decisions), players in a funk, Carbs had to lash out at the team for lack of effort and energy during practice. Through the first period, my fears were getting materialized. Then the Caps started pressing more, then making some plays. And finally, when it rained, it poured! Amazing turnaround! Now gotta keep rolling, one game at a time. Not get too high, not beat up on themselves if something does not go to plan.
27 Alex Alex plus-3 on the game. Only 11+ minutes of ice time, but probably his best game as a Cap
Alex A. and TVR were on ice for the first two Caps goals of the game.
Gotta thank Mantha for upping his trade value. We wouldn’t have got a 3rd round pick for him in August.
Look, I know everybody was disappointed with Mantha until this year. But, he’s playing well now. Saying it’s just because it’s a contract year is maybe an oversimplification. Maybe he just found the right coach. Why not offer him a 1 year extension at current salary? He’s not likely to get a better offer elsewhere and, as so many of you have claimed, he won’t bring a whole lot in a trade (3rd or even 2nd rounders seldom bring the potential and size that he does). I wouldn’t be in such a rush to get rid of him.
Agree completely. He seems sensible and responsible now. If he agrees to something short-term, not exorbitant salary-wise, so the Caps can see if he keeps it up next year, I’d give it a go.
How two best seasons, statistically, have been contract years. He’s lazy and why Yzerman got rid of him.
Depends on what’s available in return. I expect he’ll get a 2nd at least. That could become a star player in a few years. Can’t give those chances up. Especially after giving away our 1st rounder to Detroit (Dallas took Wyatt Johnson with that pick) and our 2nd rounder this year for four games of Connor Brown. If Mantha wants to re-sign with the Caps over the summer for one year than yeah…I’m cool with that.
I would do a two-year deal with Mantha. But I want it done before the TDL. good signal to the team.
Then trade Patches and Dowd and either Edmundson or Jensen. I would hold NAK as he isn’t bringing any value back. Bring back two retention contracts (plus Mantha retention).
Really liked HLP up top with 8 and 43. This kid has been impressive almost since the day he stepped in a caps sweater. He looks like a top line at worst 2nd line C
Well they looked a lot more rested and overcame a poor start to trounce Philly. Lappy looked good on the top line. Patches had a great game. He, Mantha, Dowd, Edmundson, and maybe a couple other guys could net a huge return. BMac better not lose sight of the fact that this roster isn’t built for cup contention. We still need to retool.
An impressive performance against a team that’s hard to play against. That Caps have a lot of heart. Good character on this team.
My take is: trade for as many good draft picks as you possibly can. I would trade just about anyone not named Ovie or Wilson if I thought it would yield young stars in 3-5 years.
That said, I don’t think BMac and the Caps will do that. It wouldn’t surprise me to see them trade our #1 pick away this year for a youngish NHLer. I don’t expect a serious tear down. I won’t be too mad if they decide to attempt a run at the playoffs. I wouldn’t do that but I can see why they would. Carbs and the coaching staff has been great. The players have battled. Tough to break up a team like this.
The upcoming schedule looks brutal to me. Like, we could easily lose every game in March after the Arizona game. But, that’s just like, my opinion, man. 🎸😎👍
Maybe Colorado will want Kuznetsov. They already have one Russian problem child in Nichushkin. Why not double down? They desperately need a second line center, and Chris McFarland and BMac have a trade history.
Stranger things have happened.
I don’t see the Caps going all in either way, buying or selling. I expect them to nibble around the edges not really changing much, generally reacting to trade deals from other teams. I see Pits doing basically the same.
Kuzy waived