Flyers 4, Capitals 3 (OT)
WASHINGTON -- Right winger Jakub Voracek scored 38 seconds into overtime to give the Philadelphia Flyers a 4-3 victory over Washington on Wednesday, snapping a three-game losing skid and ending the Capitals' 12-game home winning streak.
Voracek's second goal of the game came as he spun around the back of the net and fired over the shoulder of Capitals' goalie Braden Holtby, who didn't have control of his stick on the shot.
Philadelphia came into the third period with a 3-2 advantage thanks to a laser from Voracek off an offensive-zone draw at the 2:21 mark of the second period. But Washington drew even when left winger Andre Burakovsky scored his second goal of the game off a nifty feed from center Evgeny Kuznetsov early in the third.
Thanks to a snowstorm that deposited nearly two feet of snow around the D.C. area, the Capitals had not played since Jan. 19, with two home games cancelled because of the inclement weather. Washington coach Barry Trotz worried that his squad may get off to a slow start after the eight-day layoff, which proved to be true.
The Flyers took advantage of the Capitals' rust in the first period, looking like the sharper and faster team. After Washington right winger Tom Wilson was sent to the penalty box for interference, center Brayden Schenn needed just six seconds of the power play to put Philadelphia on the board, taking a feed from right winger Wayne Simmonds and beating Holtby top shelf for the game's first goal.
Later in the period, Kuznetsov made a terrible clearing pass deep in his own zone, with the only player around being Flyers center Ryan White, who deposited the errant feed past Holtby for his fifth goal of the season.
Washington woke up in the second period and controlled much of the action, scoring twice in 55 seconds to tie the game.
Defenseman Nate Schmidt intercepted a clearing pass and found Burakovsky open in the slot, where he blasted a shot by Flyers goalie Michal Neuvirth to make it 2-1. Less than a minute later, right winger T.J. Oshie fed a pass through traffic right on the stick of center Nicklas Backstrom, who beat Neuvirth glove side to tie things at 2-2.
The loss was the Capitals' first at home since Nov. 19 against Dallas.
NOTES: Capitals C Marcus Johansson left the game during the first period and did not return with what the team announced as an upper-body injury. ... Flyers G Steve Mason was scratched from the lineup Wednesday with a lower-body injury, despite going through the team's morning skate. Philadelphia recalled G Jason LaBarbera from AHL Lehigh Valley. D Evgeny Medvedev and C Jordan Weal were also scratched. ... Capitals D Karl Alzner played in his 423rd consecutive game, breaking the franchise record previously held by Bob Carpenter. Alzner has the fifth-longest active consecutive games streak in the NHL. ... Capitals C Mike Richards' hearing on controlled substance charges, scheduled for Thursday in Manitoba, was adjourned until Feb. 25. ... D Ryan Stanton and RW Stanislav Galiev were scratches for Washington.