Rookie defenseman Madison Bowey made his “dream” NHL debut Saturday night and it did not go well. The Capitals, facing adversity for the first time during their young season, got steamrolled by the Philadelphia Flyers 8-2.

Bowey, who was on the ice for four Flyers goals, was at one point faked out so bad by Jakub Voracek that he lost his stick and watched helplessly as Wayne Simmonds scored.

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After the game, Bowey took his lumps and spoke to reporters about the flap, which was shared widely across social media.

“Yeah, for sure (that was my welcome to the NHL moment),” Bowey said. “Obviously in the pre-scout I know and I’ve watched [Voracek] play for numerous years here. I know how shifty he is. I think that’s just part of learning the game.

“It’s all uphill from here now,” Bowey continued. “I can put that one behind me. I played my first game in the NHL and I can be proud about that. I know that the hard work has to come now and I’m looking forward to keeping it up.”

Bowey was in the lineup because the Capitals lost its most valuable defenseman, Matt Niskanen, to a long-term, upper-body injury Friday night, necessitating Bowey’s quick recall to the team. The Capitals were also playing the final game of its back-to-back against the Flyers, who were especially jacked because the night marked their regular season home opener at Wells Fargo Center.

Voracek’s dancing around Bowey gave the Flyers a 3-1 lead early in the second period. After that tally, the wheels figuratively fell off the Capitals bus. The Flyers outscored Washington 5-1 in the remaining 36 minutes of the game — Bowey was on the ice for three of those tallies — to secure their biggest win of the season.

This line is clicking on all cylinders.

Giroux gets the deflection and the goal. pic.twitter.com/pH758tsSMC

— NBC Sports Philly (@NBCSPhilly) October 15, 2017

“It’s obviously the first game of my career in the NHL,” Bowey said. “So I think it’s obviously uphill from here for sure and a lot to build on. I feel, you know what, if I just start practicing and keep things simple, I think I should be fine.”

Trotz said it was a "tough" debut for Bowey. But he's going to have to play.

— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) October 15, 2017

Full Coverage of Caps at Flyers