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 But it won't feature what Washington coach Barry Trotz, whose team
has already clinched the league's best record, thinks separated the
two teams on this night.
"The biggest difference in the two teams is probably the desperation
level of Philadelphia," Trotz said. "Ours probably wasn't as high
and it probably shouldn't be, human nature and all that."
And that playoff matchup won't feature a shootout, either.
The desperate Flyers got shootout goals from Nick Cousins and Sam
Gagner and the Flyers -- the league's worst shootout team since the
breakaway competition's inception -- earned a 2-1 victory in a
playoff-type atmosphere at Wells Fargo Center.
Flyers goalie Steve Mason first stopped T.J. Oshie to open the
shootout before robbing Evgeny Kuznetsov with his glove after
Cousins' goal. That set up Gagner's winner, a wrist shot past
Washington goalie Braden Holtby.
 The Capitals failed to convert on an overtime power play, though
they came close when Nicklas Backstrom hit the post with a slap
shot. That penalty kill opened the door for the Flyers to earn a
crucial second point.
"You create your own bounces and we did that tonight," Flyers coach
Dave Hakstol said. "Our group worked real hard for 65 minutes before
that shootout."
Philadelphia entered the night tied with Detroit for the final
playoff spot in the Eastern Conference while having two games in
hand. With Detroit idle, the Flyers moved to two points up with a
game in hand and six games to play.
"At this point of the season it doesn't matter how you get the two
points," Mason said. "We find a way to grind it out."
"We've been putting everything into it night after night," Hakstol
said. "Nothing changes for us."
Alexander Ovechkin's 44th goal of the season broke a scoreless tie
1:28 into the third period. With a Capitals power play coming to an
end, Ovechkin set up in his office, the top of the left circle, and
took pass from Kuznetsov before firing a hard wrist shot over the
glove of Mason.
But the Flyers stormed back.
When Marcus Johansson was whistled for hooking 13 minutes into the
third period, they took advantage and equalized. Claude Giroux fired
a slap shot from the left point that was perfectly redirected by
left winger Brayden Schenn and by Holtby into the upper-portion of
the net.
Holtby made 33 saves but didn't earn his 48th win of the season. His
47 wins remain two shy of tying Martin Brodeur's single-season
record he set in the 2006-07 season.
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A scoreless and largely defensive first period gave way to a more
open style of play in the second. The Flyers dominated the early
portion of the second frame and Holtby had to be Washington's best
player. Twice he robbed Flyers hopeful goal scorers in tight, first
stopping Cousins with his glove seven minutes into the period. The
likely Vezina Trophy finalist then stoned Michael Raffl from the
same spot, keeping the game scoreless.
Mason then had to hold up his end of the bargain at the other end in
the second half of the period. Mason stopped 29 of the 30 shots the
Capitals sent his way, including a save in tight on Jay Beagle as
the overtime session was coming to an end.
From there, desperation took over.
"I thought they were probably the better team tonight," Holtby said.
"We have to realize we have a lot more to give than that."
NOTES: The Flyers on Tuesday announced the addition of veteran G Ray
Emery, who joined the organization on a tryout contract to provide
an insurance policy down the stretch. Emery, 33, joined the Flyers
at Wednesday's morning skate. He is not eligible for the playoffs.
... Flyers G Steve Mason made his season-high, seventh-straight
start Wednesday night. ... RW T.J. Oshie was a game-time decision in
the Washington lineup. Oshie, who entered Wednesday's action fifth
on the Capitals with 46 points, got "twisted up" in Washington's
last game, coach Barry Trotz said Wednesday morning after Oshie
missed the morning skate. ... The Flyers play another home game
Saturday against Ottawa. ... Washington travels to Colorado to take
on the Avalanche Friday night. ... The Capitals, in their 74th game
of the season Monday, became the earliest team to win the
Presidents' Cup -- awarded to the NHL team with the best record in
the regular season -- since 2002, when the Detroit Red Wings did it
in their 75th game.
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