Alex Ovechkin scores, Flyers' rally falls short in 3-2 loss at Capitals

Jackie Spiegel, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Mar 20, 2025

Published in Hockey

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WASHINGTON — A couple of records were reached on Thursday in the Flyers' 3-2 loss to the Washington Capitals.

No, Alex Ovechkin didn’t score his famous “Ovechtrick” of nine goals, which he joked about in a commercial back in the day. But he did score his 888th career goal, putting him seven away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s goal record of 894 set in 1999. It also added to his previous record of the most goals by a left winger.

The other record? It’s not a good one.

The Flyers were shut out through two periods and set the mark for the longest drought this season at 191 minutes, 9 seconds, which includes 25:59 from the 4-3 shootout win against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The previous record this season was 182:17, which came during a Jan. 29 to Feb. 2 stretch. It was just shy of the franchise record set between Jan. 24-30, 2003, when the Flyers didn’t score in 199:43 over a four-game span.

Ryan Poehling broke the drought 5:10 into the third period when he picked up a dump-in pass by Owen Tippett, cut across the crease and beat Washington goalie Charlie Lindgren. It came on the Flyers’ 17th shot of the game. Poehling also scored the last goal for the Flyers before the drought started.

Sean Couturier cut it Washington’s lead to 3-2 with 2:36 left when he pushed a loose puck under the blocker of Lindgren across the goal line. Initially, the referees said there was no goal due to inadvertent goalie interference, but Flyers coach John Tortorella challenged the call and it was overturned.

Ovechkin gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead in the first period. He got open near the bottom of the left face-off circle after Noah Cates went to an already-covered Aliaksei Protas in front. The Belarusian sent the puck over to Ovechkin, who somewhat whiffed on it but still found the back of the net.

Brandon Duhaime made it 2-0 early in the second period with a deflection from above the crease and Andrew Mangiapane added another on an odd-man rush in the middle of the frame. The Capitals thought John Carlson added another, but Tortorella challenged for a missed hand pass and won.

The Flyers had other chances to get on the board. Couturier stepped into a one-timer and was stopped in the first period and Rodrigo Ābols had a one-timer in the second period. In the third period, Travis Konecny was robbed twice. The first was during a two-on-one with Tippett and the second was a two-on-none with Matvei Michkov. Then, with 9 seconds left in the game, Konecny hit the crossbar.

Breakaways

Before the game, the Flyers announced defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury. ... Forward Garnet Hathaway missed his ninth straight game with an upper-body injury. ... The Capitals are the first team to hit the 100-point mark this season.

Up next

The Flyers play the Dallas Stars on Saturday afternoon. They face Connor Bedard and the Blackhawks in Chicago on Sunday.