Wrap: Flyers Top Caps, 2-1
The Philadelphia Flyers won for the first time since the NHL All-Star break, defeating the Washington Capitals, 2-1, at the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday afternoon. The Flyers led for 59:49 of the game's 60 minutes, dominating the first period and then holding on the rest of the way after taking an early 2-0 lead.
Claude Giroux (17th goal of the season) scored just 11 seconds after the game's opening faceoff, taking a pass from Cam Atkison and wiring a shot from the high slot past Ilya Samsonov. Late in the first period, after the Flyers killed off a penalty, they had a 3-on-1 rush. An attempted Scott Laughton pass across the ice was seemingly broken up but the tipped pass went directly to Atkinson (18th), who roofed a shot to double the Flyers' lead. A strong play in the defensive zone by Rasmus Ristolainen started the latter goal sequence.
First period shots on goal were 14-9 in the Flyers' favor. Philadelphia played with excellent pace, had good gaps and strong puck pursuit. They deservingly took a 2-0 lead to intermission.
Thereafter, the game got dicey at times. The second period started out with the Flyers having an early edge. However, after a retaliatory penalty taken by Isaac Ratcliffe was converted into a TJ Oshie (6th) power play goal, the Caps made a heavy push.
Carter Hart had an excellent game in his return to the lineup from an eye infection. He stopped all nine shots he faced in the first period (mostly routine) and then had tougher saves to make in stopping 10 of 11 in then middle frame and all eight that got to his net in the third period. His rebound control, apart from one dangerous second-chance opportunity in the third period, was excellent on this afternoon. A vital shot block by Patrick Brown in the closing seconds of the game sealed the win.
The Flyers were solid defensively for most of the day. The Capitals spent most of their attack time on the perimeter, as the Flyers had the middle of the ice bottled up. The issue was, after the first 25 minutes of the game, the Flyers spent way too much time defending and not nearly enough time attacking. Philly mustered a mere eight shots (four apiece) over the second and third periods combined.
With the lead at one goal, the Flyers had a substantial 5-on-3 power play in the second period. They were unable to convert it into a goal; something that easily could have come back to haunt them later given the infrequency of the Flyers' generating offense over the rest of the game. On this day, it became a footnote.
Joel Farabee, who made a chip pass to Atkinson to earn a secondary assist on the Giroux goal in the opening 11 seconds of the game, made a successful return to the Flyers' lineup after missing a month with an upper-body injury. Derick Brassard, whose nagging hip issue had limited him to one game apiece in December, January, and the first game of February, also returned to the lineup for this game.
Ristolainen, an impending unrestricted free agent who is likely to be traded by the deadline unless he either signs a contract extension or there is substantial progress towards it, has been in a good groove since missing a couple games with a minor injury earlier this month. The pairing of Travis Sanheim and Ristolainen has been the Flyers' top duo of late in terms of performance. On Saturday, Ristolainen logged 23:56 of ice time and was credited with eight hits.
Giroux's goal was the 290th of his regular season career. It was the 992nd game of his career. The Giroux tally tied him with Eric Lindros for eighth in Flyers' franchise history. It is worth noting that Lindros, riddled with injuries and then, during his later years in Philadelphia, by disputes with upper management, played only 486 regular season games as a Flyer. At the time Lindros left Philadelphia, he ranked 5th on the NHL's all-time point-per-game list (1.36) but he subsequently slipped a bit. Lindros still ranks as the top points-per-game producer in Flyers franchise history.
The Flyers (16-26-10) have a complete off-day on Sunday. On Monday, they will return to practice at the FTC in Voorhees. The Flyers are midway through an eight-game homestand, going 1-2-1 thus far. They will host the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday.
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Phantoms Swept in Cleveland
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (18-20-10) took only one of four possible points from a road back-to-back set against the Cleveland Monsters (17-21-9) on Friday and Saturday. One day after the Phantoms sustained a 2-1 overtime loss in Cleveland, they dropped a 2-1 regulation decision on Saturday afternoon.
Pat Nagle made his return to the Phantoms after representing Team USA at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing. He turned back 35 of 37 shots in a losing cause. A first period goal by Justin Scott and a second=period power play goal by Robbie Payne built a 2-0 lead for the Monsters.
The Phantoms got back within a goal on the second shift of the final period. Wyatte Wylie (4th) narrowed the gap at the 48-second mark. Tanner Laczynski, who extended his point streak to four games (1g, 3a) earned the primary assist with Cam York earning the second.
For York and the Phantoms, it was a relief simply that he was on the ice. In the first period, York blocked a shot off his hand or wrist and he temporarily left the game. The player, who recently missed two games with an upper-body injury after his upper back or torso went awkwardly into the boards on a hit near the benches, returned for the second period and seemed OK the rest of the way. In Friday's game, York was quiet for two periods but had an outstanding third period.
In the latter half of the third period, there were two minutes of 4-on-4 hockey and the Phantoms also subsequently had a power play (0-for-3 on the day). They were unable to find an equalizer against Jet Greaves (24 saves on 25 shots).
The Phantoms are off until Wednesday. They will begin a three-game homestand against the Providence Bruins (23-14-6) and then host the Charlotte Checkers (26-20-3) on both Friday and Saturday.