While the Washington Capitals’ playoff chances continue to nosedive, the team remains just as fiery as ever, evidenced by Wednesday’s 4-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.
The game started tame, but business picked up drastically midway through the second period after a huge clean hit by Tom Wilson on Travis Konecny in open ice.
The bone-rattling body check drew a crowd as Flyers players looked for retribution as Konecny struggled to get up.
Multiple flare-ups would occur from then on, including a melee at the end of the second period. Between the two benches, Wilson threw a hit on Flyers forward Nikita Grebenkin at the buzzer, which inspired more angry hugging and frank discussions. Flyers Sean Couturier would fly by to share his dissatisfaction with Wilson.
The jawing and extracurriculars would continue in the final stanza.
Then, at the end of the game, a huge scuffle — a multi-layer dirt cake — broke out, featuring punches being thrown by Grebenkin and Brandon Duhaime.
As the Flyers skated past the Capitals bench to the locker room, TNT caught Wilson on a hot mic calling someone on the team a “f***ing nerd.”
After the game, the Capitals praised Wilson’s ultra competitiveness and trying to spark the Capitals in the 4-1 loss.
“From a leadership, physicality, dragging guys into the fight,” Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery said of Wilson, “he did a great job tonight.”
“He’s a guy that does that day in day out for us,” Matt Roy said. “He’s a huge part of our team and this organization, and we’re so happy to have him.”
