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Saturday, Nov. 18 7:00pm ET
Konowalchuk hat trick in vain for Caps | |||||
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PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Philadelphia rookie Justin Williams is finding that relaxation is the best medicine for NHL success. Williams and Simon Gagne each scored a pair of goals as the Flyers won their fifth straight game, 5-3 over the Washington Capitals on Saturday night. "I'm taking deep breaths and not getting overanxious when I get the puck," explained Williams after the 19-year-old right wing enjoyed the first multiple-goal effort of his 20-game career. Williams, who also had an assist, broke a 1-1 tie at 8:54 of the second when he skated from behind the net and back-handed a shot over the glove of Washington goalie Olaf Kolzig. He scored again with 1:12 left in the period when he streaked down the slot and hammered a rebound into an open net. "Williams showed a lot of jump tonight," Philadelphia coach Craig Ramsay said. "It was a great goal that he got coming around from behind the net." Williams made quite an impression by scoring five points in his first three NHL games this season. Then he started to struggle. "I was pressing too much and just second-guessing myself a lot," Williams said. "I was not going on instinct and stuff like that. Now I'm just going out there and settling down a bit." Steve Konowalchuk scored all three goals for the Capitals, who have yet to win two straight games this season. It was Konowalchuk's third career hat trick. Keith Primeau had a goal and two assists for the Flyers, who snapped Washington's three game unbeaten string (1-0-2). Konowalchuk brought Washington within 3-2 with seven seconds left in the second period, but Gagne scored back-to-back goals in the third period to break it open. His first came on a wrist shot from the left circle at 3:35 and then he picked up a loose puck and flipped it in at 7:20. Konowalchuk, who scored his third goal to make it 5-3 with 2:35 left, was not particularly happy with his hat trick. "It doesn't feel like much when you lose," he said. "We're all disappointed right now. Offensively we're getting goals, but we're not getting the job done overall. We did some good things but we have to go out and set the tempo." Philadelphia goalie Brian Boucher, making his first start in five games, had 35 saves. "It was a step in the right direction," said Boucher, who won only three of his previous 11 starts (3-5-3) with a 3.22 goals-against average. "I felt good, but I was a little nervous at the beginning." Primeau put the Flyers ahead 1-0 at 4:53 of the first period when he lifted a rebound of Andy Delmore's shot over Kolzig. The Capitals tied it 43 seconds later when Konowalchuk got his stick on a Ken Klee slap shot. The puck trickled in off Boucher's glove. An apparent goal by Washington's Peter Bondra, with 7:02 left in the second period, was waved off by officials who had already whistled the play dead. "Our defense had an off night," Washington coach Ron Wilson said. "If you tee it up like we did for the other team tonight, we won't win many games. We made too many mistakes and those I don't enjoy watching. Boucher played outstanding and made some key saves for them." Game notesWashington's Calle Johannson assisted on Konowalchuk's second goal to tie Scott Stevens for the Capitals' record for points by a defenseman (429). ... Gagne, who played in his 100th NHL game, leads the Flyers with 17 points. ... The Capitals have blanked the Flyers in 11 power-play attempts in two games this season and have killed off 56 of 60 short-handed situations overall. ... Kolzig has started 11 straight games, allowing two goals or fewer in six contests. ... The Flyers are 8-2-2 since a 1-5-2 start. | ALSO SEE NHL Scoreboard Washington Clubhouse Philadelphia Clubhouse RECAPS New Jersey 3 Carolina 2
Philadelphia 5
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