Tuch scores 2 more goals, Capitals beat Flyers 5-2

WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Tuch scored his eighth and ninth goals in his first season with Washington, the second into an empty net to help the Capitals seal a 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday night.

Tuch arrived in a trade from Buffalo and signed an eight-year, $84-million contract extension in June. On Wednesday, he became only the second player in Capitals history to score at least nine goals in his first 11 games for the team, joining Dino Ciccarelli, who scored 12 times in his first 11 Caps appearances to close the 1988-89 season.

Jordan Kyrou also scored twice, and Aliaksei Protas added his first goal of the season as Washington completed a five-game homestand with four wins.

Dylan Strome had three assists, and Jack St. Ivany and Pierre-Luc Dubois each had two. Logan Thompson made 23 saves after missing a victory Saturday against Buffalo because of a lower-body injury.

Matvei Michkov scored his ninth goal of the season and fifth on the power play for Philadelphia, which lost its third straight after an overtime defeat to visiting Columbus on Tuesday night.

Sean Couturier leveled it early in the second, and Joseph Woll made 25 stops for the Flyers.

Tuch got started only 1:50 into the game.

St. Ivany put the initial attempt on Woll’s net from outside the right faceoff circle, and Strome got a stick to the rebound before Tuch one-timed the puck past Woll from the slot.

Tuch put the game away more than 55 minutes later, taking a feed from Dubois on the break to score easily against the Flyers' 6-on-5.

Flyers: Host Utah on Sunday.

Capitals: At Nashville on Thursday night.

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

Washington Capitals defenseman Matt Roy (3) and Philadelphia Flyers center Sean Couturier (14) chase the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) and Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim (6) battle for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Capitals right wing Alex Tuch, right, celebrates his goal with defenseman Jack St. Ivany, left, during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Capitals right wing Ryan Leonard (9) collides with Philadelphia Flyers center Sean Couturier (14) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Capitals left wing Aliaksei Protas (21), right, celebrates his goal with goaltender Logan Thompson (48) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Quentin Grimes scored 23 points, Collin Sexton added a season-high 21 points off the bench, and the Los Angeles Lakers — without Luka Doncic — beat the Los Angeles Clippers 103-87 on Wednesday night for the second time in a week.

Doncic sat out with back tightness from the second game of the team’s first back-to-back of the season. Starting forward Ziaire Williams missed the game with a sore left foot. Coach JJ Redick said both moves were precautionary.

Without Doncic's NBA-leading 36-point average, the Lakers (4-1) had six players in double figures. Austin Reaves had 16 points and Matisse Thybulle had 15. Sexton and Thybulle had four 3-pointers each.

Rookie Keaton Wagler scored a career-high 21 points off the bench to lead the Clippers (1-3). They dropped their third in a row, having lost to the Lakers by eight points on Friday. They were without starting forward Rui Hachimura (left quad tightness) against his former team.

The Clippers again failed to hold onto the ball with 24 turnovers. They had 26 in each of their last two games, both losses to the Thunder and Lakers.

Down 18 points, the Clippers briefly rallied to open the third, outscoring the Lakers 12-2 to pull within seven. But the Lakers closed the quarter on a 27-15 spurt, with Sexton reeling off 11 consecutive points including back-to-back 3-pointers for an 85-65 lead.

The Lakers took control in the second quarter, outscoring the Clippers 31-6, including 16 points in a row, to take a 56-38 halftime lead. Six different players scored for the Lakers, led by Reaves with nine.

Lakers: At Golden State on Friday night to open NBA Cup group play.

Clippers: At Minnesota on Friday night to open NBA Cup group play.

See AP’s full NBA coverage here

Los Angeles Clippers center Brook Lopez, right, tries to pass while under pressure from Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers forward Sandro Mamukelashvili, left, celebrates with center Walker Kessler after scoring during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Clippers guard Cam Christie, right, dribbles as Los Angeles Lakers guard Collin Sexton defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Clippers guard Keaton Wagler, left, and Los Angeles Lakers guard Quentin Grimes go after a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)