The Flyers returned to home ice this weekend for a back-to-back set starting off with an early game today against the Capitals. The last meeting between the two took place on Tuesday, where the Capitals got the better of the Flyers, beating them 6-1.
Carter Hart was today’s scheduled goalie but due to an injury, Alex Lyon will get his first start in net this season with Elliot as a backup. Tanner Laczynski has a lower-body injury and was also out today, Carsen Twarynski took his place in the lineup. Nolan Patrick was a no-show; Nicolas Aube-Kubel took his place. Sam Morin was also back in the lineup today. Robert Hagg also sat out this game as a healthy scratch. While it was due to injuries, Wade Allison was moved up to second-line with Claude Giroux and Joel Farabee.
In typical Flyers fashion, they lose once again. Always giving us a glimmer of hope before to hang on to, before they tear it away.
Period 1:
Flyers Show Life Late
This period was a penalty period and a Washington line rush period. The Flyers were outshot heavily and didn’t get their first shot on goal until the 10-minute mark. Although, they did take the lead in controlling the faceoff circle. The night starts off with Justin Braun in the sin bin for tripping. Right off the bat, this gave Alex Ovechkin the perfect opportunity to score his 23rd goal this season on the powerplay.
Of course, we had Sam Morin get physical early on, picking up a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct once again sending the Caps on the powerplay. It was then our time to head to the power play as Nick Jenson was called for holding.
With one second left in the period, Ivan Provorov was able to tie the score on a shot from the point after a pass from Claude Giroux. Provorov had 3 of the Flyers 6 shots on goals for the period and is now tied for seventh-most among all NHL defensemen.
Period 2:
Flyers Collapse Begins
Less than a minute in, Dmitry Orlov decided he didn’t like the tied score and sailed the puck behind Lyon. However, James van Riemsdyk came to the rescue and was once again able to close the gap. After a collision between two Caps, he had a breakaway goal after going 18 games without one.
Aube-Kubel, doing what he does best, gets a penalty for hooking. He has 17 penalties, 7 more than any other Flyer. Almost instantly, and as if on replay from earlier, Ovechkin scored his second power play goal of the day.
Some dangerously close calls one after another for the Caps with 12 minutes left on the clock. An unmanned Evgeny Kuznetsov scores on a one-on-one with Lyon after he was allowed in tight, putting them up by 2. The Flyers get their second power-play chance of the night with two minutes left on the clock after Voracek got tripped up by Kuznetsov. Once again though, the Flyers couldn’t make anything stick.
The Flyers have played yet another period defending their own zone and end the period down by 2.
Period 3:
A little over a minute in, Philadelphia went on their third powerplay. In typical Flyers fashion, the Caps got a shorthanded breakaway chance but Lyon was able to block the shot. Once again, the Flyers remain scoreless on the power play. Within minutes the Caps get yet another tripping penalty, only this time the Flyers were able to capitalize on the man advantage. Wade Allison was in the right place at the right time, and got his first NHL goal.
And just like that, Washington is up by 2 again after a face-off win. Justin Schultz took a wrist shot from the point and was able to strengthen the lead. Right after getting down by two, it’s Travis Konecny who was called for goalie interference. Konecny’s reaction seemed to match the fans as everyone thought it was a bad call.
With less than 4 minutes left, Philadelphia pulls Lyon and gets the extra attacker. Of course the Caps are able to score one last goal for that nice, comfy, lead. Would it really be a Flyers game if they didn’t end it with an open net goal from down the ice?
Final:
With a final score of 6-3, the Flyers were outshot and outplayed for the entirety of the game, and have set the tone early for what might turn out to be a tough weekend. The only highlight for this game was that Wade Allison was able to get his first NHL goal. The Flyers stay consistent with very few things recently and that seems to be losing and NAK taking penalties.
We do it all again at the Wells Fargo Center tomorrow as the Orange and black take on the Islanders.
Photo Credit: Alex McIntyre
