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\nJamie Drysdale<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
\nJamie Drysdale<\/p>\n
PHILADELPHIA \u2013 This one had must-win written all over it.
The Flyers can ill-afford to go into the Olympic break saddled with a long winless streak.
They started to do something about it on Tuesday night, halting a four-game winless streak (0-3-1) with a badly needed 4-2 win over the Washington Capitals at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Philadelphia might still be somewhere seven points out of a playoff spot but at least the local hockey team can enter Thursday night\u2019s game against Ottawa with a chance to build a little momentum going into the Winter Olympics break.
Jamie Drysdale\u2019s power-play goal on a point shot through a screen with 5:47 to play in the game broke a 2-2 tie and sent the crowd home happy. The Flyers iced it with an empty net goal from Rasmus Ristolainen with 16 seconds left on the clock.
With goalie Daniel Vladar finding a way to hold the fort, the Flyers ended Washington\u2019s three-game winning streak.
At the beginning of the season, he was the triggerman on the power play but things just haven\u2019t gone as well as expected.
\u201cThis was just a reminder that we can do it,\u201d Drysdale said. \u201cAt the end of the day it\u2019s tough to win hockey games in this league. We did a good job at the start of the year and we\u2019re looking to get back on track.\u201d
Drysdale will be a crucial player if the Flyers are to turn things around after the Olympic break.
\u201cI think I\u2019ve had my chances to be honest with you,\u201d Drysdale said. \u201cGuys did a great job of finding me. It\u2019s nice to see one go in.\u201d
A couple wins before the break would help build some confidence for when play resumes in late February.
\u201cExtremely important,\u201d Drysdale said. \u201cI think we put an emphasis on it yesterday, how important these two games were. Not only in the standings but just going into the break feeling good. Coming out of it with some momentum.
Owen Tippett\u2019s goal at 5:56 of the first period gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead.
Tippett found some space in the lower edge of the right circle, raced across the crease and beat Clay Stevenson with a backhander.
Several players, including Tippett, liked the way the Flyers found a way to win this one.
\u201cThe message was finish the game out and don\u2019t let old habits creep in,\u201d Tippett said. \u201cI think we stuck with it all the way through.\u201d
If the Flyers can get their power play going, it would certainly help their chances down the stretch.
\u201cThat was huge,\u201d Tippett said. \u201cHe (Drysdale) was a little bit frustrated. But I think when the power play comes up big with a goal like that, especially with Jamie, it\u2019s huge.\u201d
Coach Rick Tocchet showed a bit of a smile at the postgame podium. Those have been rather rare lately.
\u201cThat was a big goal because the power play has been struggling,\u201d he said. \u201cA huge goal, we were hanging in there. I thought it was a great effort from the players tonight.\u201d
A big power-play goal can certainly boost a team\u2019s esteem.
\u201cThat shot from Jamie we needed,\u201d Tocchet said. \u201cIf you can get goals like that and build on it. What, there were five minutes left? That was a huge goal.\u201d
Carl Grundstrom made it 2-0 at 4:45 of the second period. It was Grundstrom\u2019s eighth goal in just 26 games.
The Capitals got one back via a shorthanded situation with Aliaksei Protas doing the honors off a two-on-one rush. It was the sixth shorthanded goal the Flyers have allowed this season.
In the third, the Flyer defense failed to help Vladar with a rebound and Anthony Beauvillier was open to tap it back into the net at 2:40 to tie the game at 2-2.<\/p>\n
>Short shots<\/p>\n
With Grundstrom back in the lineup, Garnet Hathaway had the night off. . .Travis Konency appeared in his 700th NHL game. He\u2019s coming off a recent spurt in which he was named one of the NHL\u2019s three stars of the week. . .Trevor Zegras picked up his 20th goal in his 54th game the other night. The only other Flyers to score 20 goals in 54 games in their first year with the franchise are Mike Knuble (25), Mark Recchi (23), James van Riemsdyk (21) and Danny Briere (20).<\/p>\n
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