The Washington Capitals’ rematch with the Philadelphia Flyers went much like the first one, which is to say: not great!
Scott Laughton tipped Tony DeAngelo’s shot to put the Flyers up in the first, but Alex Ovechkin worked hard for a rebound to tie it up through the first period. Philly got two in the second period, both through defensive breakdowns: one from James van Riemsdyk and the second from Wade Allison. The Caps played a real good third period, but Carter Hart wasn’t letting anything past.
Caps lose. Flyers take wins in both halves of the home-and-home series
- Peter Laviolette scratched Dylan Strome, which was a baffling lineup move. He split up Dowd and Hathaway, which it is trivial to show is a bad idea. I think this head coach is at his best when he gets out of his own way. He has been very in his own way lately. The incipient lines had some conspicuous problems — especially the Mantha-Dowd-Oshie scrambling before the Allison goal.
- And yet, the line that struggled the most with puck possession was the line not fiddled with: the Ovi line. And they managed to score a goal anyway. Lines aren’t everything.
- I don’t know how often James van Riemsdyk has scored against brother Trevor van Riemsdyk and vice versa. It happened tonight, as JvR deactivated his cloaking device shortly before getting a pass from Owen Tippett. I’m sure someone somewhere has parsed a decade of play-by-play data to identify xvR-vs-xvR goals, and I’ll definitely steal that guy’s stat whenever it shows up. Here’s the cloaking device play, which you’d think would be illegal. You shouldn’t be allowed to be invisible to the defense until you get the puck.
James van Riemsdyk is wiiiiiiide open to put the Flyers back on top. 😅 pic.twitter.com/txRjQMHUrK
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 15, 2023
- JVR’s goal was the first of two within a 50-second stretch, both off misplays in Washington’s own zone.
- After a three-game slump, Alex Ovechkin scored his 30th goal of the season. I like that it was a greasy one, a backhand coming on a rebound, where Ovi got denied on his attempt. That makes 2022-23 his 17th season with at least 30 goals, tied for the NHL record. He’s on a 54-goal pace.
- Lars Eller got busted for a trip that I cannot work out in my head. Dude jumped up and landed on Eller’s stick, which was in a normal stick place. Flyers scored immediately on the ensuring power play. Unlucky.
- Not our game, but check out the continuing fiasco that are the digital board ads. (Seizure warning)
Im so tired of digital board ads pic.twitter.com/00NUki8FD7
— ًًً (@icenineleafs) January 15, 2023
- Coming off two consecutive healthy scratches, Anthony Mantha returned to action. I was convinced he’d feel compelled to fight. He did not, and that’s a good thing, even if it spoiled my bit. I think Mantha’s position in the lineup and on the roster remains tenuous.
- I thought Nick Backstrom was pretty good, which is maybe the most important takeaway of the night. He’s still way under a normal workload.
Checkered three-piece #joebsuitofthenight pic.twitter.com/NBqHTsx8iG
— Peter Hassett (@peterhassett) January 14, 2023
In the end, I suppose Philadelphia goalie Carter Hart stole this one.
Once we put the wonderful story about Backstrom’s and Wilson’s returns aside, this was a really crummy week for Capitals hockey. Two straight losses to an inferior division rival in which they were at least somewhat outplayed. I beg them to get wiser before Monday’s visit to Long Island.
Headline photo: @TheMSRP
