Postgame RAV4: Special Teams Prove Costly vs. Caps

The Philadelphia Flyers saw an eight-game road winning streak come to an end in a 6-4 loss to the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on Tuesday evening. The Flyers spent much of the night playing comeback hockey. Each time, the Caps pulled away again. Special teams proved to be the Flyers' undoing. Two Philadelphia stick penalties resulted in 2-for-3 night for Washington's power play. Meanwhile, Philly went 0-for-4 on the power play.

The first period was very physical: 16 credited hits apiece including five by Flyers captain Sean Couturier. Philly controlled puck possession for most of the period (26 shot attempts to 15) but Washington was more opportunistic.

Just short of the 15-minute mark of the first period, Tom Wilson (26th goal of the season) gave Washington a 1-0 lead. Alex Ovechkin (30th) made it a two-goal lead a few minutes later.

In the opening minute of the second period, a Flyers' coach's challenge got a no-goal ruling reversed: Travis Sanheim (9th) cut the deficit to 2-1. A few minutes later, Carl Grundstrom (9th) forged a 2-2 tie. However, a Jakob Chychrun power play goal (24th) made it 3-2 Capitals. Later, Ryan Leonard (PPG, 16th) restored Washington's original two-goal lead.

Just 33 seconds into the third period, Christian Dvorak (16th) got Philly back within 4-3. Shortly thereafter, a broken play resulted in Ovechkin scoring his second of the game (31st of the season).  A few minutes later, Denver Barkey (5th) once again got the Flyers back within a goal.

Dan Vladar did not have his best game. He allowed three clear sighted shots to the glove side. He finished with just 12 saves on 17 shots. Logan Thompson earned the victory with 21 saves on 25 shots.

FIRST PERIOD SYNOPSIS

Vladar made a pad save against Justin Sourdif on an early rush for Washington. On the next shift, a pair of Rasmus Ristolainen shot attempts were blocked.

At 3:29, Martone was called for delay of game as he sent a puck out of play from the defensive zone. The Flyers had a near shorthanded scoring chance as Noah Cates caught the Caps in a moment of indecision. The penalty was killed.

On a delayed Washington penalty, the Flyers pressured. The whistle blew at 11:07. Cole Hutson went off for tripping. Travis Konecny had an open look on a Michkov rebound but Rasmus Sandin blocked the shot.

With play back the even strength, Washington scored first. Wilson came across the middle, using Travis Sanheim as a screen. The shot beat Vladar over the glove at 14:59. The assists went to Pierre-Luc Dubois and Sandin.

Washington doubled their lead on a broken play at 18:35. Ovechkin redirected a Matt Roy offering after the puck went off Jamie Drysdale's skate. Connor McMichael received the secondary assist.

Trevor Zegras and Connor McMichael received offsetting slashing minors at 19:47. There was 1:47 of carryover power play time taken into the second period.

Shots: Flyers 12 -- Capitals 5 

Faceoffs: Flyers 10 -- Capitals 14 

SECOND PERIOD SYNOPSIS

With play at 4-on-4, Travis Sanheim fired a shot past Thompson at the 39-second mark off a feed from Travis Konecny. The goal was disallowed for goaltender interference by Dvorak.

The Flyers challenged the ruling on the ice. Rick Tocchet said Martin Fehervary's stick -- not Dvorak's -- made contact. The ruling was overturned and the goal counted. The assists went to Konecny and Dvorak.

David Kamph nearly restored the two-goal lead. Vladar and the Philly backcheck thwarted it.

At 4:36, Zegras found Grundstrom with a crafty area pass. The Swede finished it off to tie the game at 2-2.

Konecny tripped Anthony Beauvillier for a penalty at 5:29. Washington had good puck movement and snapped off several hard shots. Vladar made a tough pad save. A Chychrun shot knocked off Vladar's mask. Rasmus Ristolainen blocked an Ovechkin one-timer, breaking his stick in the process.

 Finally, off a faceoff win, Chychrun wired home a one-timer at 6:58. The assists went to Ryan Leonard and Dubois.

Hutson hooked Grundstrom at 9:51. Philly went to its second power play. They were unable to do much with the opportunity.

Zegras went back to the penalty box for tripping Dubois at 15:69. Once again Washington cashed in. After crisp puck movement, an open Leonard beat Vladar to the glove side. The assists went to Dubois and Chychrun.

Martone had a good chance late in the period, Thompson made the save.

Shots: Flyers 5 (17 overall)  -- Capitals 8  (13 overall)

Faceoffs: Flyers 11 (21 overall) -- Capitals 7 (21 overall)

THIRD PERIOD SYNOPSIS

On the first shift, Martone made a pass to Konecny. The play didn't connect but the Flyers kept up the attack. Finally, Dvorak finished it off. The assists went to Konecny and Sanheim at 0:33.

A few shifts later, Martone uncorked an explosive shot. Thompson fought it off.

On a broken play, off Drysdale's skate, Washington scored again. Ovechkin buried the puck, assisted by McMichael and Chychrun at 3:47.

Barkey tipped in Philly's fourth goal of the game at 7:52. Ristolainen patiently waited for Barkey to get in position and sent the puck toward the net. The secondary assist went to Noah Cates.

Emil Andrae took exception to a high-stick by Sourdif. The two players went off for coincidental roughing penalties at 9:38. Four-on-four play ensued for the next two minutes.

Strome tripped Ristolainen at 16:13. This set up a must-score power play opportunity for the Flyers. Washington repeatedly cleared the puck 200 feet. Vladar finally came off for an extra attacker. The penalty ended without any Grade A scoring chances for Philly. A missed net by Drysdale was the best chance.

The Flyers called timeout before an offensive zone faceoff.

At 18:54, Wilson scored into the empty net from the defensive zone. The Flyers were unable to get to a rebound before Wilson corralled the puck.

Just before the final horn Sordif took a tripping penalty. The horn sounded a half second later.

Shots: Flyers 8 (25 overall)  -- Capitals 5 (18 overall)

Faceoffs: Flyers 10 (31 overall) -- Capitals 5 (26 overall)

FLYERS STARTING LINEUP

Denver Barkey – Trevor Zegras – Owen Tippett
Travis Konecny - Christian Dvorak -Porter Martone
Carl Grundstrom – Noah Cates – Matvei Michkov
Sean Couturier - Luke Glendening -- Garnet Hathaway

Travis Sanheim – Rasmus Ristolainen
Cam York – Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler – Emil Andrae

Dan Vladar

[Samuel Ersson]

Postgame RAV4 (RAV4 Things Revisited)

1. Martone's NHL debut

All eyes were on the sixth overall pick of the 2025 NHL Draft as 19-year-old Porter Martone played his first game in the National Hockey League. His line started the game's first shift (against Alex Ovechkin's line no less).

Martone finished the night with five shots on goal in 22 shifts (16:53 TOI), He also saw first-unit power play duty in his debut. Side note: No longer wearing the bird cage he had in college, the rookie also lost a tooth in his first game in the show.

2. Replicate process

The Flyers entered Tuesday's game looking to replicate their performance from Sunday as closely as possible. That was not the case on this night. The Flyers played with a lot of resolve and resiliency but they did not execute nearly as well as they did against Dallas. The forechecking work and the tenacity around the net were positives however.

3. Score first

Coming into Tuesday's game, the Flyers had scored first in just 24 of 73 games  Meanwhile, the Caps scored first in 45 games; tied for the most in the NHL. When giving up the first goal, however, the Caps were just 8-18-3.

On Tuesday,  Washington grabbed the game's first goal. The subsequent Ovechkin tally put the Flyers into chase-the-game mode by the first intermission. The second period two-goal comeback brought Philly back even but that went for naught, too. The Flyers never led.

4. Ovechkin

Future Hockey Hall of Famer Alex Ovechkin entered this game with 52 goals and 32 assists (84 points) in 81 career regular-season games against the Flyers. On this night, he added another goal against Philly and reached the 30-goal milestone for the 20th time in his career. He scored again in the third period.