Caps vs. Flyers Recap: March 24, 2019
The Washington Capitals defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 3-1 in the final meeting between the two teams this season. After dropping two straight at home, the Caps rebounded in a major way on Sunday, gaining a statement win over a division rival. With the Islanders win against Phoenix, the Caps lead remains at one point. Though 96 points and a 44-24-8 record is still quite impressive.
Not many of the scoring core came out for the Capitals on this day. It took Tom Wilson three minutes to score the first goal in the first period. There would not be another until Travis Boyd came through midway through the second. It was a defensive showing between both teams rather than the high-scoring games between the teams for the other games in the series. In spite of this, Braden Holtby managed to make 35 saves, allowing only one goal off Jakub Voracek with 2:50 remaining in the second period. Jakub Vrana’s last goal in the third period sealed the deal, and the Flyers never were able to recover.
The win here means the Capitals have swept the Flyers in their season series. A favorable result headed for the playoffs is good news for them as they continue to regroup. Only six games remain for the Capitals. However, these games are going to be the toughest yet, as all the remaining teams are fighting for the playoffs too. The Lightning, Canadiens, and Hurricanes are looking strong to qualify, and the Florida Panthers are gaining fast. The Capitals cannot afford to waste any more points as their division lead gets slimmer. Alex Ovechkin is still sitting on 48 goals, but he and the rest of the team seek to extend those numbers for the last week and a half of the regular season.
