Capitals Fall Short in Philly Despite Shorthanded Spark
The Washington Capitals rolled into Philadelphia riding the high of a convincing 4-1 win over the Islanders the night before. It was the back half of their tenth back-to-back this season-yes, tenth-and they were facing a Flyers squad that had the benefit of two full days off after an overtime loss to the Kings. The question heading into this one: Would momentum beat rest, or would fresh legs prevail?
Early on, it looked like the Flyers’ rest advantage was going to win out. Washington fell behind with two unanswered goals, and the energy that carried them the night before seemed to be running on fumes. But then the Caps found a jolt of life-and it came in the form of a shorthanded breakaway.
Shorthanded Surge
Aliaksei Protas and Anthony Beauvillier turned penalty killing into a scoring opportunity midway through the second period. On a breakaway, the duo executed with confidence and calm, and Protas buried Washington’s second shorthanded goal of the season.
It was a fitting moment for the 6-foot-6 forward, who was skating in his 300th career NHL game. Protas had already notched a shorthanded assist earlier this season in San Jose, but this time he finished the job himself.
That goal didn’t just cut the Flyers’ lead in half-it shifted the tone. The Capitals came out in the third period with renewed energy, and Beauvillier kept the spark going. He found the back of the net early in the frame, tying the game and giving Washington real hope of pulling off the comeback.
Beauvillier’s Breakout
Beauvillier was everywhere tonight. His assist on the shorthanded goal was the first of his career in that situation, and his game-tying tally in the third marked goals in back-to-back games-he also scored in last night’s win over the Islanders. For a player still finding his rhythm with the Caps, this was a statement performance.
The Turning Point
But just as Washington seemed to seize control, a penalty flipped the script. With just under six minutes left in regulation, Justin Sourdif was called for hooking Flyers forward Travis Konecny.
The Capitals’ penalty kill, which had already been tested once, couldn’t hold this time. It took just 24 seconds on the man advantage for Jamie Drysdale to fire one home and put Philly back on top.
That goal would stand as the difference. The Caps couldn’t muster a second comeback, and the Flyers skated away with the win.
Looking Ahead
This one stings for Washington. They showed resilience, especially after falling behind early on tired legs.
The shorthanded goal, the comeback push, Beauvillier’s strong showing-there were positives to take from it. But in a tight Metro Division race, moral victories don’t move you up the standings.
The Caps will need to regroup quickly. Back-to-backs are never easy, and they’ve had more than their share this season. But if they can bottle the energy they showed in the second and third periods tonight-and clean up the penalties-they’ll be in good shape moving forward.