Neuvirth stars as Flyers beat Capitals, avert sweep

The Capitals still lead the series 3-1 headed into Game 5 Friday night in Washington.

Neuvirth had 31 saves in his first start of the playoff series, helping Philadelphia stave off a sweep with a 2-1 win over the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night.

“They came at us pretty hard and if it’s not for Neuvy, we’re not winning this game”, Flyers captain Claude Giroux said.

Well, the Capitals are starting to get rather frustrated that they can’t beat their former teammate, Michal Neuvirth, who has stopped 75 of the 76 shots he’s faced in this series.

The Philadelphia Flyers continued an unlikely comeback against Presidents’ Trophy winners the Washington Capitals in their first round NHL Stanley Cup play-off series. They would manage just one shot on goal on the power play.

“I like a lot of shots”. If we throw that game out next game or we have to do it in Game 7, I’ll trust that game.

Playing at home for the first time in the series, things started off well for the Philadelphia Flyers in game three.

The Flyers have their work cut out for them. The Isles’ backup stopped an astounding 47 shots during the Islanders’ second-longest game in franchise history, lifting NY to a 3-2 series lead which heads back to Brooklyn for Game 6.

This is what Boudreau said after Game 6 of the 2010 series when the Habs forced a Game 7: “I thought he [Halak] played pretty good”. Instead, the puck hit Taylor Chorney’s left skate and hung a left, sneaking past Capitals goalie Braden Holtby.

“The refs reiterated that (Friday) night, they told us they can allow some of the stuff to go on during the play but as soon as the whistles go, you have to stop”, Wayne Simmonds said. It was the first time all season the Capitals lost two straight games in regulation.

“It’s kind of a serious moment, a very important moment for us”, Ovechkin said. I think it’s good to make sure you push yourself to be the best you can be. There’s no arguing the Capitals were the better team. The players are the ones that are battling hard here.

Get all of Gabriel Baumgaertner’s columns as soon as they’re published. “You never know what’s going to happen”. I don’t think it’s bad to do that. “We came here today to win a hockey game”. While Alan Quine’s overtime victor will grasp the headlines and lead the highlight reels until the teams drop the puck for Game 6, Greiss remains arguably the primary reason the Islanders hold the series lead. (I forgot to write down what the exact total was at that point so we’ll just round up to a bajillion.) Washington was outplaying the Flyers in literally every single facet of the game except perhaps in net. On the third shift of the period, they got some controlled zone time for the first time in about 20 full minutes of play, and it ended with a Shayne Gostisbehere shot that beat everybody and hit the post. Bryz’s pass would bank off the shaft of Clarkson’s stick, and the Devils would find themselves up 2-1 in a possible elimination game.

NOTES: Chris VandeVelde added an empty-netter for the Flyers with 30.8 seconds left….

The Flyers had six shots on goal compared to the Capitals’ fourteen shots. A non-panicky and cool-headed head coach, a more experienced team with a “been there, done that” attitude, the league’s best goaltender who can only be beaten with freak bounces and caroms, and – most importantly – depth.

Washington will be forced to make one lineup change with defenseman Brooks Orpik out because of an upper-body injury.