What a terrific game of hockey last night in Philadelphia. The result was the only problem.
The Washington Capitals Russians and Flyers skated to an aggressive 0-0 tie at the end of the first period. The game looked like it was would be a strategic, low scoring affair in the City of Brotherly Love. It wasn't.
The Caps and Flyers exploded for six second period goals to enter the third period with a 4-3 Flyers lead. Three of Philly's goals came from side shots off the stick of Mike Richards, a weakness of Washington goalie Semyon Varlamov. Richards, who failed to net any goals against the Captials last season, struck a hat trick in one period last night. Washington returned the volley with two goals from Alexander Ovechkin and one from Alexander Semin. After Richards scored the fourth Flyers goal at the 14:07 mark, Bruce Boudreau yanked Varlamov from the game, after stopping just 21 of 25 shots.
Some of those goals were indeeed Varly's mistakes, as at least two should have been stopped. But 25 shots in two periods signals to me a weak defensive effort.
Alexander Semin struck for his second goal of the game a little after the eight minute mark to tie it up at 4-4. A little over a minute later, Brendan Morrison scored a goal on a deflection off his skate. After reviewing the play, the referees allowed the goal to stand. Morrison was actually trying to stop and the puck richocheted off the skate, a clear non-kicking motion. Scott Hartnell tied the game to send it to overtime. Daniel Brieer hammered home the wining shot past Jose Theodore with a little over a minute to go in OT. Caps walk out with a heart-breaker loss, but a point nonetheless.
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