Friday night’s matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers nearly sealed the fate of this year’s Washington Capitals. Six points behind the Flyers for a playoff spot, the team knew that a loss would all but doom any hopes (however slim) of clawing into the postseason. Losing would also firmly solidify their position as sellers with just a week to go before the trade deadline, sending away valued teammates for future assets.
Capitals players hit the ice against Philadelphia with something to prove, determined both to preserve their playoff chances and to hold their team together. That mission felt more distant than ever when the first period ended with a 2-0 deficit. But this time, the Caps refused to give up without a fight.
Instead, Washington mounted a dominant five-goal comeback in the final 40 minutes: 10 players etched their name on the scoresheet, while the defense held Philadelphia scoreless for the remainder of the game.
To head coach Spencer Carbery, it may have been the Capitals’ most important win of the year.
“We knew this was–I wouldn’t say do or die–but it’s as close as you can get to it,” Carbery said.
The upcoming trade deadline offered players motivation beyond just two points in the standings. Though the team has not made any major moves yet, several players have already garnered interest and a sell-off could begin at any moment. For Charlie Lindgren, those stakes gave an already-vital game an even more personal tilt.
“We’re a family in here,” he said postgame. “We’re a really close-knit team. We just love being around each other. We all love playing for DC — we love playing for the Capitals organization. And obviously we knew where they were at in the standings and how big of a game it was. We didn’t want to put too much pressure on ourselves. But at the same time, it did feel like kind of a must-win game.”
After a dismal 8-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, Dylan Strome saw the win over the Flyers as a chance to prove he and his teammates deserved the chance to keep fighting for a playoff spot.
“With the trade deadline coming up, you want to show management that we want to be in the playoffs,” he told Monumental Sports Network’s Al Koken after the win. “And I thought tonight we did a good job of that, so we’ll see what happens.”
The first period failed to make the Capitals’ case, with Flyers goals from both Bobby Brink and Owen Tippett. Capitan Alex Ovechkin didn’t mince words when asked about the night’s start.
“We didn’t play at all,” he said. “Didn’t play our game.”
For most of this season, that would have been it: the Capitals had a record just of 3-16-5 when losing after the first. Still, the team believed they could turn it around.
“We knew we could come back,” Strome told Koken. “So, a lot of belief in that room. Carbs settled us down and (we) had a great second and third.”
“I think everybody understands, in the year, what kind of situation we have,” Ovechkin added. “And everybody was calm. We just changed our mind in the second period, I think.”
Carbery praised his team for their fortitude in the comeback, suggesting that even his faith wavered somewhat.
“I give our guys a ton of credit,” he said, “because that first period you’re going, ‘are we going to go quietly into the night? And this is going to be the way that we sort of…’ but we kept fighting.”
For some, the increased tension gave an extra edge to their games. Despite spending most of the season with the Hershey Bears, Hendrix Lapierre felt the weight of Friday night’s game. But for a player who scored the game-tying goal in Game Seven of the Calder Cup Finals last season, that pressure only egged him on.
“It had an importance to it, which was unreal,” he said after the win. “I mentioned it this morning — you play a lot of games and it’s easy to motivate yourself. But those games are fun; they’re really fun. It’s meaningful hockey. The crowd’s there. It’s always a battle. Flyers are a really good team. They’re gritty. So it wasn’t easy, but we found a way. And it’s definitely fun to play in those games. And if I could play in them every day, I would. “
Lindgren, too, found himself rising to the occasion, particularly as a goaltender who has spent most of his NHL career as a backup.
“I’ll tell you, I was so excited to play this game,” he said, “just because what happened last game with the [eight goals against], it just meant a lot honestly. And it just shows they’ve got a lot of trust in me and I wanted to go out and make the most of it tonight. And again, I think it was a great team effort, but certainly felt really good individually as well. But yeah, it meant a lot.”
The Capitals still have a long road if they want to play past April. Per HockeyViz, their odds of making the playoffs only rose five percent with the win, now hovering just over 20%. To regain lost footing, Washington would need to maintain their newfound pace of play through a packed March schedule, while Metro Division rivals risk rising in the standings. That starts Sunday against the Arizona Coyotes, who defeated them 6-0 at their last meeting. At best, Friday night gave the Capitals a chance. But it’s a chance they’re determined to take.
“We’re still in the fight and we’re going to continue to grind,” Carbery said. “And I know the character inside of our locker room: Sunday will be no different. It might not, as some people say, it might not be a Picasso. But we’re going to fight and we’re going to grind and we’re going to try to find a way to win another game and stay in this thing.”
