Alex Ovechkin scored two empty-net goals to help lift the Washington Capitals past the host Philadelphia Flyers 4-1 on Wednesday.
Ovechkin now sits at 795 career goals, six behind Gordie Howe for second on the NHL’s career list. Wayne Gretzky sits first at 894.
Dylan Strome had one goal and one assist and T.J. Oshie added a goal for the depleted Capitals.
Washington was without Nicklas Backstrom (hip), Carl Hagelin (hip), Connor Brown (ACL), Tom Wilson (ACL), Dmitry Orlov (lower body), Darcy Kuemper (upper body), Martin Fehervary (upper body) and Beck Malenstyn (upper body).
Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren made 29 saves.
Kevin Hayes scored the lone goal and goaltender Carter Hart stopped 23 shots for the Flyers.
Both teams struggled to generate much offensive pressure midway through the first period.
Philadelphia’s Travis Konecny snapped a wrist shot just wide at 10:04. Ovechkin ripped a shot at 12:38 on the power play, but the puck was blocked by Rasmus Ristolainen.
The Flyers went ahead 1-0 at 15:46 when Hayes connected on the power play.
Ovechkin was in position to tie the game yet flipped the puck off the crossbar at 16:27.
The Capitals were awarded an early power play in the second and Oshie capitalized at 3:51 to equalize.
Conor Sheary’s slap shot at 17:47 was turned away with a stellar save by Hart. The Flyers had several chances in the final minute of the second, including two by Ivan Provorov.
Washington took a 2-1 lead at 9:19 of the third when Strome redirected John Carlson’s shot from the point.
Konecny skated in all alone and blasted a shot at 10:26, but Lindgren made the save and cleared the puck.
Philadelphia received a power play at 11:01 when Erik Gustafsson was whistled for delay of game by flipping the puck over the glass. The Flyers, however, were unable to take advantage. Hart was pulled for an extra skater at 17:49.
Ovechkin scored on the empty net at 18:25 for a two-goal lead.
Ovechkin then added a second empty net goal with 8.2 seconds left, causing Konecny to engage him in a scuffle.
–Field Level Media
