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.
Flyers Capitals Hockey Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson (43) celebrates his goal with defenseman Rasmus Sandin (38) and center Hendrix Lapierre (29) during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
APTOPIX Flyers Capitals Hockey 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)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Flyers Capitals Hockey Philadelphia Flyers right wing Travis Konecny (11) falls to ice next to Washington Capitals defenseman Cole Hutson (44) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Flyers Capitals Hockey Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson (43) passes the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Flyers Capitals Hockey Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun (6) celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Flyers Capitals Hockey 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)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Flyers Capitals Hockey 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)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Flyers Capitals Hockey Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates his goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game next to Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale, left, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Flyers Capitals Hockey Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates his goal with left wing Connor McMichael (24) and center Dylan Strome (17) during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
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 three assists for the Capitals, who have won three straight as they try to climb back into playoff position.
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.
