Scott Laughton had two goals and an assist to help the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Washington Capitals 3-1 on Thursday.
Travis Sanheim also scored and Brian Elliott stopped 16 shots to keep the Flyers rolling as one of the hottest teams in the NHL. The Flyers won nine straight games before losing the final one before the COVID-19 shutdown. The Flyers have resumed the season with wins over Boston and the Capitals in the NHL’s playoff seeding round and can’t finish any worse than second in the Eastern Conference.
The Flyers play Tampa Bay on Saturday. The winner will earn the top seed in the East.
Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby (70) makes a stop on Philadelphia Flyers center Scott Laughton (21) during the second period of an NHL hockey playoff game Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020, in Toronto. (Cole BurstonThe Canadian Press via AP)
Laughton gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead in the first period after capitalizing on a turnover, beating Braden Holtby. Laughton scored again to make it 3-0 in the third.
Kevin Hayes had three assists for the Flyers for his first career three-point playoff game, and Travis Konecny had two assists.
“Great game @NHLFlyers . Our depth is really showing,” retired Flyers great Eric Lindros tweeted.
Washington Capitals center Nic Dowd (26) and Philadelphia Flyers center Sean Couturier (14) vie for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey playoff game Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020, in Toronto. (Cole BurstonThe Canadian Press via AP)
Travis Boyd scored for the Capitals on a deflection in the third to make it 3-1.
NOTES: The Flyers scratched F James van Riemsdyk, and Capitals D John Carlson also did not play. Carlson has not played since he left in the third period of a July 29 exhibition game against Carolina. The Flyers benched the slumping van Riemsdyk.
UP NEXT
Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby (70) takes a helmet off the ice during the second period of an NHL hockey playoff game against the Philadelphia Flyers Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020, in Toronto. (Cole BurstonThe Canadian Press via AP)
Washington plays Boston on Saturday and the Flyers play Tampa Bay on Saturday to wrap up the three-game round-robin series.
For more AP NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Washington Capitals defenseman Radko Gudas (33) stops a puck in front of Philadelphia Flyers right wing Jakub Voracek (93) at Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby (70) in the net during the second period of an NHL hockey playoff game Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020, in Toronto. (Cole BurstonThe Canadian Press via AP)