WASHINGTON — The Washington Capitals secured their fifth straight victory by defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 6-3 on Wednesday night. Connor McMichael excelled with two goals, while Alex Ovechkin added an empty-netter, marking the 855th goal of his illustrious NHL career.
Despite starting off strong, the Flyers attempted a comeback from a four-goal deficit, but ultimately fell short, extending their losing streak to six games since their season opener. During this troubling stretch, the Flyers have been outscored 29-14, hampered by a combination of turnovers, poor goaltending, and insufficient offensive output to turn the tide in their favor.
The Capitals showcased a balanced offensive effort, supported by Logan Thompson’s 26 saves, despite the team’s occasional lack of discipline threatening to undermine their sizable lead. McMichael’s impressive performance, scoring his second and third goals of the season, was complemented by fourth-line forwards Taylor Raddysh and Nic Dowd, who also lit the lamp, while Pierre-Luc Dubois contributed with an empty-net goal.
On the Flyers’ side, Ivan Fedotov, in his fourth NHL start, conceded four goals on 24 shots, still searching for his first victory. The Flyers’ offense included goals from Travis Konecny, Owen Tippett, and Matvei Michkov.
**Takeaways**
For the Flyers, digging out from this challenging position proves to be difficult, as their structure remains inconsistent. Nevertheless, 19-year-old Michkov, who also contributed an assist, shows great potential and is expected to improve as he gains experience in the league.
The Capitals saw Ovechkin get closer to Wayne Gretzky’s legendary career goal record, closing in at just 40 goals away with his two goals this season.
**Key Moment**
A pivotal point in the game came when Thompson thwarted Morgan Frost during a breakaway late in the second period. He followed that critical save with a series of stops in the next shift, allowing the Capitals to maintain their two-goal advantage as the Flyers ramped up the pressure.
**Key Stat**
The Flyers have endured a tough second period this season, having been outscored 13-5 during that timeframe.
**Up Next**
The Flyers will face the Minnesota Wild on Saturday afternoon, beginning a home back-to-back weekend. Meanwhile, the Capitals will travel to Tampa Bay to continue their season later that same night.
