Regular season games don’t get bigger than this.
The Washington Capitals will conclude their 2023-24 season with a matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers. And it could decide who ends up in the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
For Washington it’s simple. If they win, they’re in. Meanwhile, the Flyers need a regulation victory and regulation losses from the other two contending teams: the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings. See all the possible scenarios here.
Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery will go with The Outlaw, Charlie Lindgren, in game 82,, giving the team MVP the start in consecutive days. Lindgren is coming off a 2-0 shutout against the Bruins. Beck Malenstyn will play after suffering an upper-body injury the night before.
Tonight’s game is on Monumental Sports Network. Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin have the call. Puck drop is shortly after 7 pm.
LET’S GO CAPS.
Lines
Washington Capitals
Scratches: Lucas Johansen, Ivan Miroshnichenko, Mike Sgarbossa
Philadelphia Flyers
Scratches: Nicolas Deslauriers, Denis Gurianov, Olle Lycksell, Marc Staal, Adam Ginning, Ronnie Attard
1st Period
Charlie Lindgren will oppose Samuel Ersson in net. Ovechkin-McMichael-Carlson and Fehervary-Carlson get the start.
TJ Oshie hits the post on the Capitals first shot attempt. FUN!
John Carlson nearly scores after driving the net from the point.
The referees lose sight of the puck as Lindgren stops a hard Cam Atkinson shot down the left wing. The puck popped high into the air, came down, and deflected off Joel Farabee and into the net. The officials blew the whistle before the puck crossed the goal line, negating the goal. Officials explain, because it was not a continuous shot (ie: it deflected off someone), play is considered dead and it is not a good goal. A HUGE BREAK FOR WASHINGTON.
Beck Malenstyn blocks a shot on the inside of his right leg. That’s gonna be purple tomorrow.
Tom Wilson to the box for tripping at 9:03. He thinks it was a dive by Tyson Foerster. I’m with the officials on this one.
Aliaksei Protas is stopped on a shorthanded breakaway attempt. My heart rate is RACIN.
🚨 1-0 Capitals. Alex Ovechkin scores the 853rd goal of his career after deflecting a Dylan McIlrath shot past Samuel Ersson. It’s his 31st goal of the season. Assists: Dylan McIlrath and TJ Oshie. Time of goal: 18:08.
Alex Ovechkin scores 853rd goal of career in Capitals’ do-or-die game against Flyers
The Capitals and Flyers are tied 7 to 7 in shots. The Flyers out-attempted the Capitals at five-on-five, 17 to 14. The Flyers attempted to keep the game along the boards, forcing the Capitals, who are tired, to forecheck and battle for any space they got on the ice. We’ll see if they fade down the stretch.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
Lots of whistles the first two minutes.
I’m sure Owen Tippett will have to do a bag skate tomorrow for disrespecting the game with that between the legs shot.
The Capitals have completely locked things down. Capitals playing four or five men back. Flyers really struggling to generate any speed on their rushes, instead having to do lateral passes and keep it along the boards, hoping for a bounce.
I’m a jinx.
🚨 1-1 tie. With a bunch of bodies in front of the net, Sean Couturier scores on a tip-in. Assists: Egor Zamula and Joel Farabee. Time of goal 12:29. Erik Johnson was initially credited with the goal.
UPDATE: It’s Erik Johnson’s goal again.
From no angle, Dylan Strome clangs a shot off the post. Game is opening up a bunch now.
After a John Carlson turnover, Dylan Strome might have saved a goal with a diving shot block between the circles.
The Flyers are leading in shots 15 to 12 and attempts 42 to 32 at five-on-five.
3rd Period
Puck is dropped.
Another huge shot block by Dylan Strome.
A Forester shot from the slot hits off Alex Alexeyev and the post and out.
The Flyers need a regulation win to make the playoffs. With 4:11 left, Torts is talking to his coaches to figure out when to pull their goalie.
Flyers pull Ersson.
🚨 2-1 Capitals. TJ OSHIE SCORES AN EMPTY-NET GOAL. TIME OF GOAL: 17:00.
Ersson is off again.
Timeout Washington with 2:36 remaining.
CAPITALS WIN 2-1.
THEY FREAKING DID IT. THEY MADE THE PLAYOFFS.
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