Capitals 3, Flyers 2
WASHINGTON -- Washington defenseman Matt Niskanen went coast-to-coast for the go-ahead goal, left winger Alex Ovechkin notched his 30th of the season and the Capitals defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Sunday for their third straight win.
Niskanen sped through center ice, split two Flyers defensemen and banked a shot in off Flyers goalie Steve Mason for his third goal of the season at 5:24 of the third period.
Philadelphia defenseman Nick Shultz had tied the game with a slap shot from the point 51 seconds into the third.
Defenseman Dmitry Orlov also scored for the Capitals (38-9-4) and Braden Holtby stopped 33 shots for the NHL points leaders.
Ovechkin joined Mike Gartner (15 seasons) and Wayne Gretzky (13) as the only players to score 30 or more goals in each of their first 11 seasons.
Defenseman Michael Del Zotto gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead in the first period in game between teams playing the second of back-to-backs, and Mason made 27 saves.
Philadelphia (23-19-9) did have the services of top goal scorer Wayne Simmonds, who was not suspended by the NHL after being ejected from Saturday's loss to the Rangers for punching Ryan McDonagh.
Washington improved to 29-0-1 when leading after two periods
The Flyers came up empty on a pair of power-play chances during the first five minutes of the game, but took a 1-0 lead with 1:39 left in the first period when Del Zotto's blast from the point eluded Holtby.
Holtby's sliding pad save on center Nick Cousins during a 3-on-1 chance six minutes into the second period kept the Capitals within one. Mason responded with a point-blank save on Washington center Tom Wilson moments later just after left winger Jason Chimera fired wide on a breakaway.
Holtby was sharp when the Flyers had several chances, but failed to cash in during a 53-seoncd 5-on-3 advantage midway through the second.
Ovechkin got the equalizer with 4:04 left before intermission when he deflected a shot by defenseman Karl Alzner past Mason from the slot.
Just 59 seconds later, Orlov made it 2-1 when he skated around a defender into the left circle and fired high to the far side of Mason.
NOTES: LW Andre Burakovsky became the eighth Washington player to reach the 10-goal mark on Saturday. No other team has as many players with 10 or more goals. ... Flyers D Shayne Gostisbehere came in with a seven-game scoring streak (two goals, eight assists), a new record franchise record for a rookie defenseman. ... Capitals LW Marcus Johansson (upper body) missed his fifth game, and D Connor Carrick and RW Stanislav Galiev were also scratched. ... Philadelphia scratches were C Jordan Weal, C R.J. Umberger and D Brandon Manning. ... The season series concludes March 30 in Philadelphia.