The Washington Capitals won a very important game on Sunday afternoon, defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 3-1. Nobody wants to drop three straight on their home ice right?
Coming into Sunday’s game having dropped two in a row, the Washington Capitals needed a win in front of their home crowd at Capital One Arena to maintain their lead in the Metropolitan Division. They got that with a 3-1 win over the Flyers that saw Tom Wilson, Travis Boyd, and Jakub Vrana score. The win kept the Capitals (44-24-8) in first place with 96 points, just one point ahead of the second-place Islanders who defeated the Coyotes 2-0 Sunday.
The Capitals victory over the Flyers was their third win against them in 19 days. They also sweep the season series, winning all four games. Per Mike Vogel, this is the first time the Capitals have swept the Flyers in a season series since the 2006-07 season. That was in Alex Ovechkin‘s second season in the NHL.
This game was even more important for the Flyers, who are fighting for their playoff lives. Dropping Sunday afternoon’s game to the Capitals put them in an even deeper hole. Trailing the Canadiens by seven points for the second and final wild card spot and six games to go, the Flyers need to win out and hope both the Habs and Blue Jackets go on a slump.
The Capitals’ first goal of the game was similar to their first and only goal in Friday night’s loss to the Wild. It came on a tip in. After the Capitals forced a turnover from Claude Giroux, Nicklas Backstrom found Ovechkin in front of the net. Ovechkin’s shot was blocked by a sliding Giroux. The puck bounced to Nick Jensen. After Jensen shot it from the point, Wilson defected the puck in for his 22nd goal of the season. The goal came at 3:52 of the opening period.
Tip drill Tommy strikes again! #ALLCAPS #CapsFlyers pic.twitter.com/XM8eq5vgSd
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 24, 2019
1-0 would be the score after the opening 20 minutes with shots even at 11 apiece. At 10:47 in the second period, the Capitals extended their lead with Boyd’s fifth goal of the season. Once again, the goal came on a tip-in with Boyd right in front of the net to knock in a shot from Matt Niskanen.
Fourth Line comes up LARGE! #ALLCAPS #CapsFlyers pic.twitter.com/xDR8PDiEMH
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 24, 2019
The Flyers got on the board with a goal from Jakub Voracek on the power play at 17:10 for his 20th goal of the season. 2-1 would be the score heading into the second intermission. The Flyers outshot the Capitals 20-7.
The Capitals got an insurance goal in the third period at 8:07 with a breakaway goal from Vrana for his 22nd goal of the season.
V's feeling 22 (goals)! #ALLCAPS #CapsFlyers pic.twitter.com/0srMGbjnsz
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 24, 2019
Braden Holtby stopped 35-of-36 for a .972 save percentage in the win, including all 29 shots he faced on five-on-five. The Capitals will take on the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night at Capital One Arena in what could be a playoff preview. If the season ended right now, Washington and Carolina would meet in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Puck drop is at 7 p.m.