The Washington Capitals have only two games remaining before breaking for a mid-season vacation (since none of their superior players are suiting up in the 4 Nations Face Off for reasons I still don’t understand).
Tonight, the Capitals will take on the Philadelphia Flyers in the City of Brotherly Love. The Flyers are wildly shorthanded, which could make this game a potential blowout.
Ivan Fedotov will start in net for the Flyers (new goalie alert) while Charlie Lindgren will get back into the twine for the Caps.
The Capitals-Flyers game is airing on Monumental Sports Network. Joe Beninati and Alan May will have the call. Puck drop is a little after 7:00 pm. Craig Laughlin is out due to a medical leave of absence. #LockerStrong.
Lines
Washington Capitals
Philadelphia Flyers
Tunnel shenanigans
1st Period
Puck is dropped.
Capitals haven’t made a single entry with control yet.
Capitals give up a semi-breakaway forcing Rasmus Sandin to hook Matvei Michkov from point-blank range at 4:03.
Capitals kill the penalty.
Tom Wilson sprung on a breakaway after a bit hit by Alex Ovechkin. Wilson tries to go five-hole but Fedotov makes the save. Ovechkin tries to get to the rebound, but can’t, instead checking a Flyers defender hard into the net. Play is whistled dead as the goal is put back on its pegs. That was the Capitals first shot on goal. It came 7:23 into the first period.
Midway through the period, Dylan Strome is partially sprung, but his backhand is stopped by Fedotov who comes out to challenge.
Taylor Raddysh draws a tripping penalty on Emil Andrae at 12:41. Raddysh was flying down the wing and Andrae swung his stick out to swipe at the puck.
Ovi gets a wide-open one-timer but Fedotov gets his right pad on the shot. The shot came in low to the ice. Ovi seems frustrated on the miss.
🚨 1-0 Philadelphia Flyers. PHI Goal: Matvei Michkov (15). Assists: T. Sanheim (20). Time: 17:31.
Matvei Michkov, who was definitely not cherry-picking, scores easily on a breakaway, beating Charlie Lindgren glove-side and over the pad. 1-0 Flyers.
🚨 1-1 tie. WSH Goal: Alex Ovechkin (26). Assists: M. Fehervary (12), D. Strome (37). Time: 19:07.
Alex Ovechkin scores on 180th different goalie, the Flyers’ Ivan Fedotov, for 879th career goal
At intermission: The two teams are tied in shots on goal 7-7 and the Flyers have a slight edge 14-13 in 5v5 shot attempts. The Capitals are 15-2-2 this season when tied after the first period.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
Erik Johnson to the box at 2:11 for delay of game – shooting the puck off the rink.
Garnet Hathaway gets the first opportunity of the Caps power play, nearly shooting shorthanded after Alex Ovechkin lets him go for a breakaway. Lindgren stopped Hathaway who went to his backhand in an attempt to score. That’s Lindgren’s seventh stop of the night and it’s another big one.
🚨 2-1 Washington Capitals. WSH Goal: Connor McMichael (19). Assists: A. Protas (24), J. Chychrun (21). Time: 04:17.
Connor McMichael scores on a deflection in front of the net after a sensational pass by Aliaksei Protas. It’s his 19th of the season. The goal came right as a Capitals power play ended.
TVR to the box for tripping at 5:47. He turned the puck over and immediately tripped Anthony Richard as he drove hard to the net.
🚨 2-2 tie. PHI PPG: Tyson Foerster (15). Assists: E. Andrae (5), T. Konecny (38). Time: 07:23.
Tyson Foerster deflects an Emil Andrae point shot past Charlie Lindgren on the power play.
🚨 3-2 tie. PHI Goal: Matvei Michkov (16). Assists: E. Andrae (5), T. Konecny (38). Time: 07:23.
Michkov with his second of the night after a great passing play finds him in front of the net for a tap-in.
Flyers chance hits the post.
Another great chance for Michkov but he whiffs on his attempt.
At intermission: The Flyers lead in shots 13-11 and 24-23 in 5v5 shot attempts.
3rd Period
The zambonis are coming back out causing a five minute delay before the start of the third period.
Puck is dropped.
Big glove save by Charlie Lindgren on Travis Sanheim 1:10 into the period. Capitals seemed to be confused if the play would be an icing or not.
Holy F – Michkov nearly scored on a Michigan but Lindgren somehow stops it. He was so quick and smooth doing it from behind the net.
🚨 3-3 tie. WSH Goal: Lars Eller (10). Assists: T. Raddysh (15). Time: 06:23.
Eller goes off the post and in. That was a huge goal.
🚨 4-3 Washington Capitals. WSH Goal: Jakob Chychrun (14). Assists: J. Carlson (30), T. Raddysh (16). Time: 12:05.
Jakob Chychrun with a huge slap shot that beats Ivan Fedotov, giving the Capitals a 4-3 lead. What a cross-ice pass by John Carlson to find him.
Flyers pull Fedotov with around 2:00 remaining.
Charlie Lindgren makes an insane stop at the buzzer with his left pad. Wow. Electric!
Capitals win 4-3. Flyers outshoot the Caps 22-18 and out-attempt them 42-34 at 5v5.
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