The losing continues.
It’s now eight losses in nine games for Dave Hakstol’s Flyers.
The effort and energy were better at the Wells Fargo Center during Thursday’s 5-2 loss to the Washington Capitals but the lack of offense continued.
So few shots means so few goals. The Flyers had only 11 sniffs at the net when the third period began and they were trailing, 4-2.
Incidentally, Hakstol used his first challenge of the season on Alex Ovechkin’s power-play goal in the second on a play that was offside.
He won. Goal denied. That reversal prevented Ovie from becoming the all-time Russian scorer in the NHL. He and Sergei Fedorov are tied with 483 goals.
Been a while
Since we’ve seen the Flyers score a goal on their very first shot of the game. It happened 3:34 into the first period on Scott Laughton’s wrister from above the right circle. Nice feed from Chris VandeVelde, digging a loose puck off the near boards. Come of think of it, been a while since we’ve seen any goals for the Flyers.
Notable goals
What a sneaky goal to make it a 1-1 game midway into the first period from T.J. Oshie. Evgeny Kuznetsov left a perfect drop pass for Oshie to deposit off the right post on an unsuspecting Steve Mason as the former angled in hard as if to shoot and didn’t, going past the post. Kuznetsov set up two Caps goals.
Goalie report
Not much Mason could do on those Washington power-play goals.
Power play
The Flyers had one shot on their first three power plays and were soundly booed because of it.
They did score on their fourth PP in the second period. The Caps made it a 2-2 game in the second period on another terrific pass from Kuznetsov to Jason Chimera.
The Flyers finished 1 for 4 on the PP.
Penalty kill
The Flyers are still struggling. Radko Gudas could not handle Chimera, who sailed past him for a one-on-one with Mason. The Caps scored two power-play goals on the Flyers' sagging PK units, which entered the game 18th overall. The Caps were 2 for 3 against the Flyers.
Shots
The Flyers were outshot 11-4 in the first period. They scored on their carryover PP in the second, so they actually had two goals on five shots but those were the only five shots in the game to that point, too.
Fights
Ryan White lost a decision to Michael Latta.
Big hit
White’s board check upended Chimera in the first period.
Scratches
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (IR/right knee or ankle), R.J. Umberger (right eye/left foot) and Brandon Manning (healthy).
Up next
The Flyers practice Friday at the Skate Zone and then travel to Carolina to meet the Hurricanes on Saturday night.