Thompson makes 23 saves for Washington, which has won 5 of 6
Flyers at Capitals | Recap
WASHINGTON — Trevor van Riemsdyk scored the go-ahead goal at 14:08 of the third period and the Washington Capitals defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 3-1 at Capital One Arena on Wednesday.
Declan Chisholm worked a give-and-go with Aliaksei Protas and passed across the slot to defenseman van Riemsdyk, who was going to the net on the rush and poked the puck over Dan Vladar to end a 38-game goal drought and make it 2-1.
“It looked like they were changing,” van Riemsdyk said. “We were kind of changing too, so, I knew even if it didn’t work out, we’d have forwards behind me, coming in late. …Then, ‘Chis’ made a great play: the entry, through the middle, drop it, and then to slide it through that guy, and just kind of give me an empty-netter.”
PHI@WSH: van Riemsdyk nets go-ahead goal with snap shot
Protas had a goal and an assist, and Rasmus Sandin scored his first goal in 40 games for the Capitals (30-23-7), who have won five of six. Logan Thompson made 23 saves on his 29th birthday.
It was the first game for each team following the break for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
“We just have to find ways to win games,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said. “So, tonight I don’t think it was our best, but coming off the break, shaking some of the rust off and finding a way to win and get us some momentum and start this final push off on the right foot was important.”
Noah Cates scored for the Flyers (25-21-11) who have lost six of seven while scoring 14 goals. Vladar made 26 saves.
“There was some good stuff there, but obviously with four or five minutes left … I thought there was some sloppiness at certain points,” Flyers coach Rick Tocchet said. “I guess that happens after a couple weeks off. Coverages, we kind of have a bad change and they get that goal.”
Sandin gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead at 13:52 of the second period. Jakob Chychrun passed to Hendrix Lapierre below the right circle. Lapierre passed across the slot to Sandin cutting through the left circle and he beat Vladar with a wrist shot from just inside the circle.
PHI@WSH: Sandin snaps home opening goal
Cates tied the score 1-1 at :29 of the third period when he tipped Travis Sanheim’s point shot past Thompson from in front after Protas turned the puck over in the defensive zone. Cates had gone 18 games without a goal.
“Didn’t like my January and the team struggled as well,” Cates said. “To get that goal and feel good about our line, we were making some plays and just playing the right way … Good to get going. Just a huge 25 games now. We need these points and everyone needs to be at their best.”
Thompson made a left pad save to rob Matvei Michkov’s shot at the right post at 9:55 and keep the game tied.
“You could argue that’s the difference in the hockey game, right?” Carbery said. “We make a mistake there, turn it over the first shift of the third period. We get them right back into the game and they could easily go up 2-1 there and now your head is spinning because you went into the third period with a 1-0 lead and you’re down 2-1. So that save, that’s a difference-making save, which, yeah, he was sharp tonight.”
Protas scored a short-handed goal into an empty net during 6-on-4 play at 19:34 for the 3-1 final.
“We had our chances, we had our looks,” Flyers forward Christian Dvorak said. “I think we’ve just got to get a little more gritty in front of the net and get some dirty goals.”
NOTES: The Capitals have scored the first goal of the game 36 times this season, which is the most in the NHL with the next closest being the Minnesota Wild (35). … Protas has a point in five straight games against Philadelphia dating back to last season (two goals, four assists). … Philadelphia killed off Washington’s only power play and is 9-for-9 on the penalty kill in its past six games.
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