Shootout needed between Caps and Flyers

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – In an Eastern Conference match-up between the first and second place teams, things did not go as planned for either.   It would take overtime and a shootout for the visiting Capitals to down the Flyers, 5-4.
The Flyers came out with sustained pressure all throughout the first period, and they outshot the Capitals 10-7.   But it was more than shots-on-goal that made the difference.   It was puck possession, and establishing the cycle game deep in the Caps zone for 30-40 second stretches.
The Flyers came out with jump in their legs and appeared to have what it took to defend their top spot in the East.   However, it was not the Russian rookie, Sergei Bobrovsky’s, night.   He yielded two questionable goals in the first.   And a third, just 1:22 into the second, while down a man.   He was pulled in favor of the veteran netminder, Brian Boucher, which raised a lot of questions.   It was thought the stretch run would define Bobrovsky as the permanent number one heading into the playoffs.   Now things seem in doubt for the youngster.
When asked about his young netminder’s play, head coach Peter Laviolette said, “His year has been very good so far.   Tonight? Bob probably wishes he could have some of those back and another opportunity at ‘em.”
On another note, the team didn’t break after falling behind 3-0.   They rallied back and continued the pressure feeling it just a matter of time before they solved the Capitals rookie goaltender, Michal Neuvirth.
“We showed a lot of character and heart and we fought back,” said Andrej Mezsaros, who had a spectacular night logging an assist, 6 hits, and 5 blocked shots. “We were the better team and deserved to win. That’s hockey … We fired pucks and they didn’t go in. That second period [down 3-0], we played our hearts out.”
The first Flyers goal came at 8:05 of the second, as a Kris Versteeg shot deflected off of Caps defenseman, Dennis Wideman’s skate and in.   Wideman was backing into his own net to defend against a crashing Adreas Nodl.
With only four seconds remaining in the middle stanza, Nodl and Braydon Coburn played catch at the blueline before Nodl fired a slap pass towards the far side of the net.   The pass hit Claude Giroux on the tape and he fired it into an open net.
The Flyers continued to outshoot the Caps, and at the start of the third the visitors were scrambling to preserve their win.   But Nodl, who’d been playing a strong game, received a pass from Giroux, while falling and flipped it in over Neuvirth to tie the game.
“We put the puck down their zone, we cycled in, the amount of chances compared to what they had, most of it was ours,” said All Star Danny Briere. “Overall, it was a solid effort from our team.”
At 14:56, off of some quick puck work, Briere gave the Flyers their first lead of the game.   The Flyers looked poised to take the game after going down by three goals early, but Marcus Johansson, the Caps young centerman, wouldn’t have it.   He fired a shot from the top of the circle to beat Boucher on his far side to bring on overtime.
The Flyers continued their effort through the extra period.   Although they ceded four shots and only offered one of their own, they had the better of the chances and looked to control play.   But neither goalie flinched and stopped every puck fired their way.
The shootout was a brilliant display of talent that saw Alexander Semin, Caps centerman, deke out Boucher for the game winner.
Although the Flyers put up their best effort of the season and played hard for 60-minutes they unfortunately had to settle for an overtime loss.   The Flyers and Caps have now played four games this season, twice requiring overtime and twice requiring a shootout.   They have split the decisions, both going 2-0-2 over the season against one another.
“That’s why it is so much fun at the end of the season like this,” said Giroux. “Guys knew this game was going to be intense. Any time you play a good team like Washington it is always going to be fun.”
It’s very likely this game was a prelude to the Eastern Conference final, and if so, it will surely be a dandy of a series.   The Capitals have put together a new style of team based around defense first, forsaking last season’s methods, which put the emphasis on offense.   They’re supported by two young goaltenders in Neuvirth and Semyon Varlamov, and their captain, Alex Ovechkin, can score goals in bunches when left unchecked.
The Flyers on the other hand use a puck pursuit style of play that emphasizes pressing forward in order to relieve the pressure on defense.   Their strategy is to dump the puck in deep and forecheck hard keeping the opposing team’s defense on their heels.   They’ve shown great weakness in goal at this point in the season.   Neither Bobrovsky nor Boucher has been able to solidify themselves as the number one guy for the playoffs.   And that’s an issue for a season that looks like a now or never year for the orange and black.
“He’ll bounce back,” Briere said of Bobrovsky. “I’m not too worried. It’s not the first time. He has had a couple of bad games earlier this year, and he was able to bounce back. It happens. You get some bad breaks. Everybody has some bad nights.”
The Flyers have ten games remaining to gear up for the playoffs.   Meanwhile, the Caps are nipping at their heels just one point behind for the conference lead.   If the Flyers intend to be there to again challenge for the Stanley Cup, they’ll need to continue playing hard for 60-minutes of hockey, remain healthy (most notably at defense), and find some consistency in goal.
Contact Chuck.Tay@prohockeynews.com
Photographer Lewis.Bleiman@prohockeynews.com