The Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Washington Capitals 2-0 despite only tallying eleven shots on goal.
Yes, two goals on eleven shots. The Capitals had 44 shots on goal and had complete control of the game.
Flyers goalie Michal Neuvirth set “records for saves in a Stanley Cup Playoff shutout and regulation playoff win.”
“I like to face a lot of shots,” he told the media after the game. “It keeps me in the game. I enjoy it. Guys did a really good job in front of me. I was seeing the puck well. We didn’t take any bad penalties, and we stuck to our system and big win for us.”
The Flyers had six shots on goal compared to the Capitals’ fourteen shots. The Capitals came out more fierce in the second period, but Neuvirth remained strong.
“He’s always very calm in the net,” explained Flyers forward Jakub Voracek. “Again, he showed it today. The last two games he’s been outstanding and given us the chance to win the game, and here we are going back home when nobody expected it.”
The Flyers scored seven minutes into the second period when a shot from forward Ryan White went in after it hit Capital defenseman Taylor Chorney’s skate.
“Nothing you can do,” stated Capitals goalie Braden Holtby. “That’s what happens when you throw pucks to the net. Sometimes it goes in.”
Thing is, though, the Flyers only had two shots on goal. Two and one became a goal. The Capitals pushed 16 shots on Neuvirth and he stopped all of them.
“He’s made a lot of big, timely saves for us and kept us alive,” gushed White. “We just want to keep fighting here. He’s doing a great job of keeping us calm in there.”
Neuvirth faced another powerful surge from the Capitals, but nothing tired him out.
Forward Chris VandeVelde scored an empty net goal to make it 2-0.
The teams will play Game 6 in Philadelphia on Sunday at noon Eastern. The Capitals still lead the series 3-2 and can eliminate the Flyers.
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