Playing a full roster of NHL regulars against an opponent with many of its top players not making the trip to Philadelphia, the Flyers controlled most of the territorial play and defeated the Washington Capitals, 3-1, at the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday night. A "greasy" goal by Cam Atkinson proved to be the game-winner.
Postgame 5: Grease is the Word
Flyers defeat the Capitals 3-1 at Wells Fargo Center
Capitals prospect Aliaksei Protos opened the scoring with an early first period power play goal. Flyers captain Claude Giroux got the goal back on the power play a few minutes later. After a scoreless second period. Atkinson put the Flyers ahead two minutes into the third stanza. Scott Laughton added an insurance goal.
The Flyers went 1-for-3 on the power play and 2-for-3 on the penalty kill.
Martin Jones (21 saves on 22 shots) got the start in goal for the Flyers. Ilya Samsonov (28 saves on 31 shots) was in net for the Capitals.
At the end of the game, the teams had a practice shootout. The skills competition went nine rounds. Atkinson, Konecny Ivan Provorov, Oskar Lindblom, Morgan Frost (goal), Ryan Ellis, Joel Farabee, Laughton, and James van Riemsdyk shot for the Flyers. Jones went 7-for-8. Joe Snively "won" it for the Caps in round 9. Trevor van Riemsdyk answered Frost's goal with one of his own in the fifth round.
TURNING POINT
On the scoreboard, the turning point was the Atkinson game-winner. In terms of momentum and territorial play, Giroux's goal in the first period that tied the score at 1-1 created energy and momentum for his team. The Flyers dominated the first period and were the better team overall against a Caps team that was missing a host of regulars from the lineup. It was a little like Thursday's game in Boston, except in reverse.
MELTZER'S TAKE
1) With Oskar Lindblom in the box for tripping, a broken play led to the Protos goal. Cam Atkinson blocked a Trevor van Riemsdyk point shot but the puck went to Protas in the slot, who fired it into the net past Jones at 3:18. A good keep by Keith Yandle and a one-timer from the left circle by Giroux off a Sean Couturier feed beat Samsonov upstairs to tie the game at 5:41. The Flyers had multiple scoring chances during the period but could not extend the lead. First period shots were 14-8 in the Flyers' favor.
2) The first period was a physical -- and often feisty -- frame. The two teams traded off some big hits and there were some after-the-whistle hostilities as well (nothing escalated). The clubs combined for 18 first period hits: 14 by the Flyers. Rasmus Ristolainen led the way with four credited hits. Two of them were especially memorable. Right after Claude Giroux got hit earlier in the shift, Mike Sgarbossa took a seat on the ice after a big hit by Ristolainen inside the Caps blueline. Just before the period expired, he blasted Tobias Geisser into the boards near the near end of the Flyers' bench.
3) The scoreless second period was not as fast-paced or physical as the opening frame. However, after a decent start and a mid-period lull, the Flyers closed the frame with several positive shifts. The closest chances to a goal came when Couturier had Konecny set up at the doorstep but Konecny steered the puck wide. Later, Ivan Provorov hit Cam Atkinson (at the end of a shift) with a stretch pass for a breakaway opportunity. Samsonov made the save. Second period shots were 10-0 in the Flyers' favor. The teams left the ice with 2:54 left in the second period due to a power outage in the building. After intermission, the time was added onto the clock before the third period. The final two shots on goal of the period -- both by the Caps -- happened after the teams returned to the ice.
4) Chance at one end, goal at the other: Brett Leason had an open look at the Flyers' net from the slot in the opening 90 seconds of the third period, but couldn't pot it. At the other end, Oskar Lindblom drew Samsonov to the left post and, with the puck loose ahd the goalie down, a hustling Atkinson swept the puck into the net at 2:00. The secondary assist went to Ristolainen.
5) Garnet Hathaway came in high on a check attempt on Provorov with 8:47 left in the third period. Provorov took exception to it and Derick Brassard rushed to his teammate's defense. The Caps ended up with a power play on a double-roughing minor called on Provorov. The Flyers killed it off. At 16:56, Laughton scored on a breakaway sprung by Nicolas Aube-Kubel. Laughton shifted to his backhand and slid the puck home.
