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Frustrated in Philly: Flyers beat Caps 3-2

By Chris Cerullo

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January 8, 2020 10:03 pm

The Washington Capitals traveled a short trek up I-95 and met with the Philadelphia Flyers to close out a back-to-back for both teams. The Flyers came into the fray losers of four straight and the Caps the opposite as winners of three straight.

Travis Konecny opened the scoring off a terrible Nick Jensen turnover. Nicklas Backstrom responded minutes later to restore a tie. Jakub Vrana sniped one home to give the Caps a shortlived lead before Robert Hägg hammered one home to tie the game once again. Kevin Hayes shorthanded gave the Flyers a lead late in the second.

Flyers beat Caps 3-2.

  • Another bad first period. Getting a little unacceptable how poor they’ve started games defensively. The Flyers collected six high danger chances at five-on-five to the Caps big ole zero. Braden Holtby gives up two goals in a period that he was actually very, very good in.
  • Jakub Vrana dented the twine yet again for his 19th goal of the season. He is on a four game point streak and now on pace for 35 total goals this season. Evgeny Kuznetsov had the fantastic primary assist on the goal which also gives him points in seven straight games.
  • I’d love to see Martin Fehervary given another handful of NHL games to see if he can continue his very good start in the league. The fact that he’s a lefty shot (Nick Jensen is a righty for those wondering) makes that a little more complicated.

  • Much better second? You guessed it. I guess that’s the obvious better part of this trend. The Caps created a ton more offensively in the second frame but just could not beat Carter Hart and actually left the period down a goal.
  • The Flyers penalty kill was excellent the entire game and they got a shorthanded tally on top of it from Kevin Hayes. I think that’s the best penalty killing the Caps have seen in a game yet so far this season. Zone entries were like pulling teeth, Backstrom and Kuznetsov faced instant pressure, and the Caps only chances came off of broken plays. The Caps power play itself was also horrendous and for god’s sake can they come up with a single alternative when it’s clear another team has all of the answers? Shoving square pegs into round roles.
  • Ovi Jr aka Sergei is quite possibly the cutest child of all time.
  • Sean Couturier was upset. He took a temper tantrum slashing penalty.

  • That’s not a good enough effort in a third period that you’re down in. The Flyers were playing in a back-to-back too. No excuses.
  • It felt like the Caps were either too lackadaisical or trying to force too much. That’s not a good combo.
  • Normally I give zero credence to faceoff wins, but man it sure felt like the Caps got slaughtered in the key offensive and defensive zone draws in this one.
  • Jakub Voracek is quite possibly the biggest embellisher in the entire league. Dude gets rightfully fouled sometimes, but man does he love a theatrical performance.

No Joe B, so here is Gritty’s suit of the night.

The Caps have a couple days off before returning to home ice action against another Metro Division team in the New Jersey Devils.

Full RMNB Coverage of Caps at Flyers

Headline photo: NBCSN

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