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