With the Flyers taking the series lead on Tuesday night, Thursday night’s game 4 was do or die for the Washington Capitals. A win and series would be tied 2 games a piece heading back to Washington, but a loss would put them in a hole and put Philadelphia up 3 games to 1.
The Capitals made a few adjustments to their lineup to try and compete with the Flyers. One of which was moving veteran Sergei Federov to center Alex Ovechkin’s line. For the Flyers, Kimmo Timonen was in the lineup after leaving the game in the second period on Tuesday. Timonen has been key in shutting down Ovechkin.
This game didn’t exactly start how the Capitals would have wanted. The Flyers came out and got a goal just 42 seconds in when Jeff Carter burried the puck off a pass from Mike Knuble. The Flyers and the Wachovia Center were pumped. However, Washington began to fight back.
On a power play opportunity just 2 minutes later, Nicklas Backstrom scored off a pass from Alexander Ovechkin to tie the game. Later in the first, Alexander Semin would score to take the lead for Washington on a 5 on 3 power play.
However, the Capitals would not finish the period with that lead. Before the first period would end Jeff Carter would get his second of the game.
During the second period, the Capitals would score again to take the lead. They would be able to hold off the Flyers and go into the third period with the lead. However, the Flyers would find a way to come back and tie the game.
On a power play about midway through the third period, Mike Richards would find an open Danny Briere. He quickly passed the puck over, Briere collected it and fired it into the net before Christobal Huet had a chance to react. That goal was Briere’s league leading 5th of the playoffs.
Briere also made a critical save for the Flyers. On a shot from the Capitals, Martin Biron made the save, but the puck bounced into the crease and Biron was out of position. Briere was there to make the next save and clear out the puck. Briere has raised is level of play since the playoffs began.
The Flyers have truly gotten to Alexander Ovechkin. During the course of the third period, he had a few chances to score and win the game for the Capitals, but was unable to finish. This just goes to show how different the game is come playoff time. No matter how good you are in the regular season, it doesn’t mean you will be good in the playoffs.
The game would remain a 3 all tie at the end of regulation, so that means sudden death overtime. And this is not the castrated version of overtime you see in the regular season. These are full 20 minute periods, with 15 minute intermissions, and the game keeps going until there is a winner. No gimmicky shootout.
There were several chances exchanged, but the goaltenders for both teams came up strong and made some great saves. As the 1st overtime period continued, I started to get the feeling that this game could go a while. It was the same feeling I got on May 4, 2000. That day the Flyers played another game 4, that time against the Penguins. The game went into a 5th overtime period when Keith Primeau scored for the Flyers to win the game, and they would eventually win the series.
This was not the best game the Flyers played so far in the series. The Capitals definitely had a jump on the Flyers much more than they had in games 2 and 3. However, the Flyers battled and found a way to score. And that would be how they would win the game. As the second overtime went on, Philadelphia got stronger and put the Capitals back on their heals. Jeff Carter’s line kept Ovechkin’s line pinned in their zone and peppered Huet with shots. Carter took the shot and Mike Knuble got the rebound and put the puck past the Washington goaltender for the win. Carter and Scottie Upshall got the assists on the game winning goal.
The series now moves back to Washington for game 5 on Saturday. A win by the Flyers will mean moving on to the second round, against an opponent who is yet to be determined.
Highlights
Tags: Biron · briere · Capitals · Carter · Flyers · Knuble · Ovechkin · RichardsNo Comments
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