POSTGAME NOTEBOOK: Caps 5, Flyers 4

Fourth Time Around - Washington's fourth line of Carl Hagelin, Nic Dowd and Garnet Hathaway has been together since the outset of the season, a constant in a season full of change and flux. Twenty-seven games into the 2020-21 NHL season, only eight Caps have been healthy enough to suit up for every game, and three of them comprise the Caps' fourth line.

On Saturday night in Philadelphia, the Dowd line fueled Washington's attack in a 5-4 win over the Flyers, supplying three of the Caps' four goals at 5-on-5 in the contest. The victory was the Capitals' fourth in a row, matching their longest winning run of the season. Washington is now 11-2-1 in its last 14 games.

Hagelin scored in the first period, putting back a rebound of a Nick Jensen point shot with Hathaway collecting the secondary helper. Early in the middle frame, Hagelin returned the favor when he supplied the solo assist on a sublime Jensen goal. Philadelphia won an offensive-zone draw and ended up pulling the puck out of the back of its net seven seconds later; Hagelin blocked Jakub Voracek's shot and Jensen tore off in pursuit of the loose puck in neutral ice, won the race and scored with a snipe of a shot from the right dot.
And finally, in the early minutes of the third period, Dowd netted what proved to be the game-winning goal when he tipped a Hathaway center point shot home. It was Dowd's second game-winning goal in as many games, both against the Flyers in Philadelphia.

Early in the season, Caps coach Peter Laviolette began deploying the Dowd line against the opposition's top lines, with good success. The trio also contributed a fair amount of offense in the early going of the season, supplying a goal of their own in four of five games in one late-January stretch.
The trio is also entrusted with the lion's share of Washington's penalty-killing responsibilities as well as closing out tight contests in the final minutes when the Caps are protecting late leads.
"I think throughout the season we've had a ton of chances," says Hagelin. "It's just a matter of the puck going in. I think if we keep creating those chances and keep playing hard against the other [team's] top players, we're going to get our good looks. It's been good that they've gone in.
"We've had some injuries and some guys out, so it's important for us to not only play well defensively but also chip in offensively. I think we have enough in our line to do that, and we need to continue doing it."

Missing Man - After a one-game absence to deal with a family matter, Caps center Lars Eller returned to the Washington lineup on Saturday night. But his presence was short-lived; Eller retired for the evening after three shifts totaling 1:29 in the first period; he is day-to-day with a lower body injury.
Down to 11 forwards for the second time in as many games, the Caps again made do by double-shifting right wing T.J. Oshie in the middle of the ice. Oshie finished the game with more than 22 minutes worth of ice time for the second straight game. Nicklas Backstrom (22:31 on the night) also saw extra duty as did Dowd (17:17).
"We thought we were good," says Laviolette. "Lars was back, and now he's out with a lower body injury. So we felt good going into the game, but that changed pretty quick and we're back to the same scenario where we were the other night.
"It becomes more difficult because it's a centerman; you're talking face-offs and you're talking defensive-zone starts where it's so important to win possession, and so it becomes a little bit more taxing. But again, I think [it's] just having good depth. T.J. has been terrific. The fact that when we needed a centerman - and somebody who has done it - and I think he's done an unbelievable job. He's so smart and he's able to handle some of those minutes to take some of the burden off the other three centers, but it's different when you're rolling three [lines]."

In Thursday's 5-3 win over the Flyers, Oshie became the first player other than John Carlson or Alex Ovechkin to lead in Caps in ice time in a single game when he logged 22:32. But going through most of Saturday's game with 11 forwards - and three centers - just two nights after playing the entire game under those conditions didn't make it any easier.
"Going into [Saturday's game]," says Dowd, "we were happy to have all four lines rolling. I think when we have four lines rolling like that, we have four good lines that all do different things. We were all excited to have Lars back and to get back into the rhythm of that, as opposed to when we have to move someone into the middle. Then it kind of shuts down another line, or it shuts down Lars' line because he is not in there.
"It makes it tough for everybody and guys are doing double shifts. So it's challenging, but we made it work. We have a lot of good players who can play different positions."

Climbing The Ladder - Ovechkin scored a power-play goal - his 10th goal of the season - midway through the second period of Saturday's game. The goal was No. 716 of Ovechkin's NHL career, moving him to within one of Hockey Hall of Famer Phil Esposito (717) for sixth place on the League's all-time ledger.
Saturday's strike was also Ovechkin's 263rd career power-play goal, placing him two behind Hockey Hall of Famer Brett Hull (265) for second place on the all-time power-play goals list. Hockey Hall of Famer Dave Andreychuk is the all-time leader with 274.
Finally, Ovechkin's goal came on his 5,638th career shot on goal, a shot that moved him ahead of Jaromir Jagr (5,637) for second place on the League's all-time list in that department. Only Hockey Hall of Famer Raymond Bourque (6,206) is ahead of Ovechkin on that ledger. Since he entered the NHL in 2005-06, Ovechkin's shot total is 1,907 more than the next closest player over the same span, Buffalo's Eric Staal (3,728).

Philadelphia Freedom -When the Caps went into Philly for the first time this season last Sunday, only three points separated the two teams in the East Division standings, and the Flyers actually had a higher points percentage (.675) than did the Caps (.652). But Saturday's win completed a clean sweep of three games against the Flyers in Philadelphia this week, a spree that puts the Capitals nine points clear of Philly in the East Standings. The Flyers hold two games in hand, and the two clubs will meet four more times this season, with three of those games being played in Washington.
"We were looking at that," says Dowd. "I think we were seven points ahead before the game now we're nine points ahead. Games every night are changing and fluctuating winning percentage, and the points. You've got four teams in there that are super, super tight - maybe five - and you know it's going to be a race to the end. A short season, with less points up for grabs so every game really matters and we definitely know what's going on into that game."
Saturday's loss to the Caps was Philly's fifth regulation loss in its last seven games. Starting on Monday at Madison Square Garden, the Flyers head into a stretch of six games in nine nights, a run that will conclude with five games in seven nights.
By The Numbers - Carlson led the Caps with 22:37 in ice time … Ovechkin led the Caps with four shots on net and five shot attempts … Hathaway led the Caps with six hits … Thirteen different Washington skaters blocked at least one shot, with Dowd and Zdeno Chara leading the way with three each.