WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Ovechkin scored twice and hit the 30-goal mark for the 20th time in his NHL career, and the Washington Capitals beat the Philadelphia Flyers 6-4 on Tuesday night.
Tom Wilson also had two goals, Jakob Chychrun had a goal and two assists, and Ryan Leonard added a goal and an assist. Pierre-Luc Dubois had four assists for the Capitals, who have won three straight as they try to climb back into playoff position.
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Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates his goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Emil Andrae (36) collides with Washington Capitals left wing Ivan Miroshnichenko (63) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Philadelphia Flyers center Denver Barkey (52) shoots the puck against Washington Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin (38) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson (48) stops the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) scores a goal past Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar (80) and defenseman Jamie Drysdale (9) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Travis Sanheim, Carl Grundstrom, Christian Dvorak and Denver Barkey scored and Porter Martone made his NHL debut for the Flyers, whose three-game winning streak came to an end.
Late in the first, Wilson’s shot from the slot made it 1-0 in his 900th career NHL game. Minutes later, Ovechkin cashed in Matt Roy’s cross-crease feed to extend Washington’s lead to 2-0.
Ovechkin has reached 30 goals in all but one season: the COVID-shortened 2020-21 campaign, where he had 24 in 45 games.
The Flyers fought back to open the second, evening the score in a span of 4:36 minutes on a point shot from Sanheim and lay-up from Grundstrom. Washington didn’t take long to respond, though, as Chychrun’s one-timer on the power play made it 3-2. Leonard scored another power-play goal later in the period to put the Capitals back up by two.
While Dvorak pulled things to 4-3 to open the third, Ovechkin got to the front and buried a one-timer to restore the two-goal lead with his 928th career goal.
Barkey’s deflection brought the Flyers within one, but Washington and Thompson fended off a comeback effort while Wilson iced the win late with an empty-netter.
Thompson stopped 20 of 24 shots, and Dan Vladar had 12 saves on 17 shots.
Martone, who signed his entry-level contract on Sunday, led the Flyers with five shots on goal through nearly 17 minutes in his debut.
Flyers: Host Detroit on Thursday.
Capitals: Visit New Jersey on Thursday.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates his goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Emil Andrae (36) collides with Washington Capitals left wing Ivan Miroshnichenko (63) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Philadelphia Flyers center Denver Barkey (52) shoots the puck against Washington Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin (38) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson (48) stops the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) scores a goal past Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar (80) and defenseman Jamie Drysdale (9) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Andrew Painter hopped off the mound in excitement in the fifth inning after his 97.2 mph fastball got James Wood to strike out for a second time.
Phillies fans — some groups called themselves Andrew's Painters, others Painter's Painters — waved paintbrushes and erupted in cheers with each strikeout for the rookie pitcher.
Painter delivered a masterpiece in his major league debut.
The 22-year-old Painter — considered to have one of the top arms in any level of baseball — tossed four-hit ball and struck out eight over 5 1/3 innings Tuesday in the Phillies' 3-2 win against the Washington Nationals. Painter tipped his cap to the cheering crowd of 40,709 fans as he left the mound in the sixth after he allowed a one-out single to C.J. Abrams.
“It was awesome,” Painter said. “Crowd showed up tonight. Just kind of soaked all of it. I don't think I could have drawn it up much better.”
He struck out the side in the fifth, walked one and allowed a run when Abrams scored on a run-scoring single by Daylen Lile off reliever Tanner Banks.
Painter wanted to stay in the game and at least finish the inning. Phillies manager Rob Thomson wasn't going to push the right-hander almost 1,000 days since his big-league path was elongated by Tommy John surgery.
Thomson asked Painter on the mound visit if he enjoyed his first game,
“He shook his head no,” Thomson said with a laugh. “Then he figured out what I said and shook his head yes.”
Painter received a rousing ovation as he made the long walk from the bullpen to the dugout before the game and kept the fans on their feet when he struck out Wood on a nasty 12-6 curveball to open the game. Painter kept the Nationals flailing at breaking balls and swinging over high hard stuff the rest of the game.
Painter mixed curves, sweepers and sliders with a fastball that nearly touched 100 mph and flashed every bit of greatness that has been predicted of him since he was the 13th overall pick in the 2021 amateur draft and signed for a $3.9 million bonus.
Painter sprinted through Philadelphia’s system in 2022, going 6-2 with a 1.48 ERA in 26 appearances spread across two Class A teams and Double-A Reading.
He hurt his elbow during spring training in 2023 and had Tommy John surgery later that year.
The 6-foot-7 right-hander emerged the top candidate to win the Phillies’ fifth starter job as he attempted to crack the rotation before his 20th birthday. Instead, the injury set him back at least two seasons, and he went 5-8 with a 5.26 ERA during two minor league stops last season.
He’s been deemed good to go and joins a stout rotation that this season will include Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo.
“We've been waiting a while for this,” Thomson said. “So have our players.”
The two-time reigning NL East champion Phillies gave him needed run support with solo home runs from Kyle Schwarber and Adolis Garcia. Painter left with the Phillies leading 3-0.
“He didn't seem fazed by anything out there," Schwarber said. “That was pretty cool. I mean, even before the game, there's no pacing, no nothing. Just felt like he was mentally prepared for what he was about to do. That's impressive.”
The first outing sure seemed a like preview for even more impressive starts over his career.
“I felt like I was in control of the pace of the game,” Painter said.
Considered the organization's top pitching prospect since Cole Hamels, Painter entered the season ranked No. 26 among all prospects in baseball. Painter gave up seven hits and struck out eight in 11 2/3 innings in spring training this year.
“If we can keep him healthy, this guy's going to be really good for a long time,” Thomson said. “He's going to have a really great career. He's one of those upper-echelon guys. He's got the combination of power and command. The future is bright for him.”
Painter said everything part of his game felt in sync, from pregame warmups to keeping his emotions in check while pitching in front of about 40 friends and family in his ticket group. He changed from his No. 24 jersey into a Phillies hoodie and shorts and jogged back onto the field after the final out for photos and hugs with his parents, former coaches and everyone who made the trip.
That included a kiss with his fiancée.
Painter took a knee before he ever threw a regular-season pitch. He posted proposal photos on Instagram in March with his girlfriend, Shelby.
What's more nerve-wracking, proposing or taking the mound?
“I'm not sure,” Painter said with a laugh. “We'll revisit that.”
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Philadelphia Phillies' Andrew Painter pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Philadelphia Phillies fans that call themselves "Painter's Painters" pose for a photo as they cheer on rookie Phillies pitcher Andrew Painter during his MLB debut in a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Dan Gelston)
Philadelphia Phillies' Andrew Painter pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Philadelphia Phillies' Andrew Painter pitches during the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
