Wednesday, December 18, 2013
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Power-play goals help Flyers win

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[December 18, 2013]  PHILADELPHIA — After seeing Brayden Schenn struggle to get up following a hit from behind, the Philadelphia Flyers got their revenge by scoring goals.

Right winger Jakub Voracek scored two goals, including a power-play goal 72 seconds after defenseman Mark Streit got one, to help the Flyers beat the Washington Capitals 5-2 Tuesday night at the Wells Fargo Center.

Right wingers Matt Read and Wayne Simmonds added goals for the Flyers (15-15-4), who won their seventh straight home game.

Right wingers Alex Ovechkin and Eric Fehr scored for Washington (18-13-3). The Capitals beat the Flyers 5-4 in a shootout at home Sunday after trailing 4-1 with 10 minutes left in regulation.

Tuesday game was tied 2-2 when a charging penalty on Capitals right winger Tom Wilson gave Philadelphia a five-minute power play. Wilson also received a game misconduct along with the five-minute major for checking Schenn from behind into the boards.


"I don't think it was a dirty play," Ovechkin said of Wilson's hit on Schenn. "He saw the hit coming, he turned, and Willy is a big boy. It's always dangerous out there, it's hockey. When you get hit, you have to be ready, especially at the boards. I don't think he was ready, I think he was going to turn, but Willy just finished his check."

Schenn sustained an upper-body injury and will be evaluated on Wednesday, though coach Craig Berube said he's OK.

"The hit against Schenner got us on a power play and we took off after that," Read said. "We kept their players off the ice in the offensive zone and we were lucky enough to get two power play goals. We finished the game strong."

The teams played a scoreless first period before Ovechkin scored just 40 seconds into the second period on the power play. It was the first of six second-period goals.

The Flyers were down 2-1 when Read beat goaltender Braden Holtby with a wrister for his team-best 10th goal.

Streit gave the Flyers a 3-2 lead on a one-timer from outside the left circle off a crossing pass from Read. Then, defenseman Kimmo Timonen made a nice pass down low to Voracek, who slipped a shot past Holtby for a 4-2 lead.

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Simmonds made it 5-2 in the third period with a nifty move around a defenseman to pick up the puck in stride and beat Holtby with a forehand move.

Ovechkin scored his 28th goal on a backhander for a 1-0 Washington lead. Voracek tied it at 1-1 on a slap shot.

Fehr blasted a shot past goaltender Steve Mason for a 2-1 Capitals lead.

Mason finished with 24 saves, and his thoughts were on Schenn afterward.

"We're all hoping that it's nothing serious for Brayden," Mason said. "He is obviously a key part to this team and when you see a guy struggling like that you never know if it's for his head. The way that this game is played now, injuries happen like that and nobody likes to see it, especially when it's a guy on your own team."

The Flyers can go over the .500 mark for the first time this season with a victory over Columbus at home on Thursday.

The Capitals have two days off before playing at Carolina on Friday night.

"A little rusty to start," Holtby said after playing his first game in a week. "I made a couple mistakes and the puck ended up in the back off the net. I don't think it was a case of being off for a while, I think it was just a case of me needing to be better."

NOTES: The Capitals are one of two teams the Flyers will play five times this season. The Penguins are the other. ... Capitals C Casey Wellman was called up from Hershey of the AHL. ... After playing nine of the last 11 games on the road, the Flyers are playing three of four games at home before going away for six straight. ... Capitals RW Alex Ovechkin has scored in consecutive games 11 times. ... The Capitals have scored a power-play goal in six of their last seven games. ... Ovechkin's power-play goal snapped a streak of 10 consecutive penalty kills over the last three homes for Philadelphia. ... Flyers RW Jakub Voracek has scored a goal in four of the last five games.


 

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