No promotional wristbands were distributed in the Flyers’ 2-1 home win Wednesday in Game 4 after being used as part of a pregame lights show for Game 3.
Advertisement
The real test for the Flyers came with about 6:30 left in the second, however, when Sam Gagner was whistled for interference just seconds after a similar call against the Capitals’ Nicklas Backstrom was ignored behind the play.
The Flyers announced after the game that Laughton, who had 21 points in 71 regular-season games, was being held overnight at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital for “precautionary reasons”.
Letang avoids suspension • The Penguins’ Kris Letang avoided a suspension by the National Hockey League after a nasty slash to the face of the Rangers’ Viktor Stalberg in Game 3 Tuesday that reportedly cost him three teeth.
The Wild finished the game with a 6-on-4 after a high-stick penalty on Antoine Roussel with goalie Devan Dubnyk pulled, but the Stars tightened up and allowed only one shot on target over the 84-second two-man advantage.
Game 5 of the best-of-seven series is Friday night in Sunrise, Florida.
“Well, we have more momentum than after Game 3”.
The Capitals’ special teams dictated the series through three games, going 8 of 17 on the power play before failing in two attempts Wednesday.
Neuvirth would finish the game with 31 saves, but perhaps the other biggest difference maker for the Flyers in game five was their discipline. We had a couple where we were on different pages out there. Congratulations Caps fans, you’ve got Friday Night plans. It’s just one of those plays that you feel like you do a lot in the game, and it never ends up like that. I felt a little rusty early but the guys did such a good job in front of me. The series moves back to Washington where the Capitals will have another go at closing out the series.
As the periods progressed, the Flyers needed more and more of Neuvirth.
Once hockey resumed and the Flyers focused their attention from a teammate’s health to the game, they wanted to make sure the energy came back.
“We live for another day”, Neuvirth said.
The Flyers are 1-7 all-time when falling behind 0-3 in a best-of-seven playoff series. “It’s about winning Game 4, pure and simple”. They’ve hit some posts and missed the net on a few point blank chances in each game but it has never been cause for alarm because they’ll eventually get another, similar chance if they wait out of the Flyers.
Neuvirth looked confident from the opening whistle and no one could have guessed he had played only one game in over a month. He lay motionless on the ice for several minutes being tended to by medical staff until they were finally able to take him off the ice on a stretcher.
“I don’t think we need to change anything than what we’ve been doing, and that’s playing hard and consistent”, Alzner said. Oshie’s backhander broke the shutout early in the third period, the ninth power play goal scored by Washington in the series, but Neuvirth only tightened up down the stretch while the Capitals mounted their final push toward a four-game sweep.
Advertisement
“What I’ll say is this”, Washington captain Alex Ovechkin said.
