When It Rains It Pours, Flyers Continue To Shoot Themselves In The Foot

The Flyers continued their downward trend Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Center. Losing 5-4 to the Capitals for the third straight loss in Philadelphia to Washington.

On Thursday, the Flyers tried too hard to skate around a Capitals defender to make a play. Rather than making the more simple & right play by getting the puck in deep. Which continued tonight & led to the first goal.

Nolan Patrick was checked off the puck in center ice after the Flyers got a clear. The Capitals would then transition back into the zone on a 3v2. Brian Elliott would leave a juicy rebound off of Jakub Vrana’s shot. Daniel Sprong would tip the rebound over Elliott & into the net.

Another turnover & a 19-second power-play at even strength lead to another Capitals goal.

Claude Giroux would drop a pass to a vacated spot. A spot that should have been where his right-winger, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, should have been. But, 19-seconds after his line jumped on, Aube-Kubel finally released he was supposed to be on the ice. However, it was too late.

Garnet Hathaway would be the first to get to the puck. Who would find Nick Jensen on across the ice for a point shot on net. That, once again, Brian Elliott would leave another juicy rebound in the crease that Carl Hagelin slammed home.

The Flyers would come out with jump to start the 2nd period. Pinning the Capitals in their own zone for almost all of the first 3-minutes. Which would lead to the Flyers first goal.

Daniel Sprong would try to flip the puck out of the zone after an Ilya Samsonov kick save. But, Sprong would flub it & the puck would go right to James van Riemsdyk. Who would fire it by Samsonov.

But, just 29-seconds later, Brian Elliott would give it right back. John Carlson’s point shot would deflect off of Nick Dowd & leak past Carter Hart.

After winning the face-off in the offensive zone, Nick Jensen would find the loose puck & skate up ice. Beating Shayne Gostisbehere in a foot race. Jensen would then fire one by an out of place Brian Elliott. Which ended his night stopping just 7-shots of the 10-shots he faced.

Nolan Patrick would end a 16-game goal-less & pointless streak. Travis Sanheim would win a puck as the Capitals were exiting their own zone. The puck would go right to Jake Voracek. Who passed it to Patrick for the one-timer that beat Ilya Samsonov.

With the Flyers failing on both their power-plays, the Capitals would make quick work of theirs. Justin Braun would fail to clear the puck twice & the puck would eventually make it to Alex Ovechkin. Who fired a wrister by Carter Hart.

The Capitals would add to their lead early in the 3rd period.

Shayne Gostisbehere would get a power-play late in the 3rd period. His third power-play goal in his last 10-games. Claude Giroux would make it an one-goal game with 2:57 left in the 3rd period. But, even with the Flyers two late goals, the Capitals would hold on 5-4.

Brian Elliott stopped 7 of the 10 shots he faced in the losing effort. Carter Hart stopped 11 of the 13 shots he faced in relief.

Loose Pucks…

– The Flyers are not themselves right now & a 19-second lapse in the 1st period costed them a goal. After his line-mates jumped on, it would take Nicolas Aube-Kubel 19-seconds to realize he was supposed to be on the ice. Resulting, in what would have been an easy breakout, a turnover & a Capitals goal.

– For the 12th time this season the Flyers have given up a goal within two minutes after scoring. After James van Riemsdyk made it 2-1, it would take the Capitals just 29-seconds to retake a two goal lead.

– Failing to get through the neutral zone & get the puck deep plagued the Flyers again tonight. After trying too hard to make a move instead of making the simple play on Thursday, the Flyers were much of the same again tonight. Which led to two Capitals goals.

– The Flyers goal-tending was carrying them for most of the first month of the season. When they needed the big save they got it. Now, the Flyers can’t even get the next save from their goalies. Which is exposing the Flyers main issue, THEIR DEFENSE.

– After winning three-straight after returning from Lake Tahoe, the Flyers have now lost 5 of their last 7 games. Their lone two wins could have been losses as well. Both wins coming from comebacks of 2+goals down.

Result : Flyers  4 – Capitals  5 , LOSS

Record : 13 – 9 – 3

Next Game : 3/15 New York Rangers, New York City NY, 7:00pm

Photo Credit : Len Redkoles – Getty Images