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Flyers chase Kolzig, hold off Caps

Jan 13, 2008 - 10:27 PM By Tim Hipps PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

WASHINGTON (Ticker) - A pre-game meeting with coach John Stevens got Mike Knuble going, and his two goals put the Philadelphia Flyers back on the winning track.

Knuble's first two-goal game of the season led the Flyers to a 6-4 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.

He scored both goals in the first period to give the Flyers a 2-1 lead they never relinquished.

"There's times when you get down on yourself," Knuble said of the pep talk with his coach. "It's one of the ebbs and flows of the season. We had a little chat - (I) tried to center myself.

"A meeting with the boss can be negative sometimes. A lot of times, it can be positive."

Simon Gagne launched a shot from just inside the blue line on the right wing and the rebound ricocheted to defenseman Kimmo Timonen, who punched another shot at the net that bounced off the pads of goaltender Olaf Kolzig.

Knuble poked in the loose puck for his seventh goal of the season with only two seconds remaining in Philadelphia's power play.

"They overwhelmed us at the beginning," Knuble said. "They might have been a little bit shocked when we had the lead at the end of the first period."

Mike Richards skated through traffic in front of Washington's net and recorded his 20th goal of the season on an assist from Steve Downie to give the Flyers a 5-3 lead at 8:23 of the third period.

"I think we did a good job of calming ourselves down," Richards said of the Flyers, who rebounded from Saturday's 4-3 overtime loss to Boston.

Michael Nylander's 11th goal of the season and 200th of his NHL career pulled the Capitals within 5-4 with 6:49 left in the contest. Nylander took a nice cross-ice pass from Nicklas Backstrom and beat goaltender Martin Biron from the right circle.

Timonen's empty-netter with 38 seconds remaining clinched the win.

Alex Ovechkin, who on Thursday signed a 13-year, $124-million contract, scored his 33rd goal of the season with 8:50 left in the second period, pulling Washington within 4-3.

Ovechkin launched a blast from the left circle that sailed over Biron's right shoulder.

After the Flyers built a 4-1 lead, Mike Green began Washington's comeback, redirecting rookie Quintin Laing's shot into the net for his seventh goal at 6:32 of the second period.

Jim Dowd's shorthanded tally gave the Flyers a 3-1 lead at 5:09 of the second period. The goal was Dowd's first since November 15.

"Special teams are a big factor, especially on the road," Stevens said. "We're getting contributions from a lot of different areas."

Fifty-nine seconds later, R.J. Umberger made it 4-1 with his seventh tally that chased Kolzig. The goal was Umberger's first since December 11.

Brent Johnson, who was recalled from the AHL's Hershey Bears on Saturday, replaced Kolzig, who allowed four goals on 16 shots. Johnson stopped 14 of 15 shots.

"It was early on and we needed a change," Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau said. "I knew (Johnson) would come in being ready just because he played Friday (with Hershey) and he had a great practice Saturday, but it was nothing to do with Olie.

"The fourth one was a tipped deflection of the puck by (Capitals defenseman Milan) Jurcina and a lot of them were just lying there and the 'D' weren't clearing."

Johnson stopped 14 of 15 after replacing Kolzig, who yielded four goals on 16 shots.

"When the game is on the line and we have a chance to come back and tie, it seemed like maybe the shifts were too long or maybe we just shot ourselves in the foot," Johnson said. "It was definitely in our grasp and we let it slip away.

Alexander Semin's seventh goal of the season gave Washington a 1-0 lead just 98 seconds into the contest.

Boudreau, however, wasn't overly impressed with Semin's performance.

"Great goal - but being too cute with the puck," Boudreau said. "We've got to simplify the game and everybody better play the same way. If we're dumping it in and chasing it against a tired team, it should work. But some guys didn't adhere to that."