Drysdale scores late power-play goal, Flyers top Capitals to end 4-game skid

PHILADELPHIA -- Jamie Drysdale scored the go-ahead goal on a power play late in the third period, and the Philadelphia Flyers ended their four-game skid with a 4-2 victory against the Washington Capitals at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Tuesday.

Rasmus Ristolainen had a goal and an assist, Owen Tippett and Carl Grundstrom also scored, and Dan Vladar made 26 saves for Philadelphia (25-20-10), which was 0-3-1 in its previous four games.

"It's a huge bounce back game," Tippett said. "We finished the game out and didn't let old habits creep in. I think we stuck with it all the way through. Glad we got the win."

Anthony Beauvillier had a goal and an assist, and Aliaksei Protas also scored for Washington (28-23-7), which had its three-game winning streak end. Clay Stevenson made 18 saves one night after stopping 29 in a 4-1 win against the New York Islanders.

"It was an unfortunate result," Capitals defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk said. "Obviously, didn't have our best, but back-to-back, sometimes that's going to be the case. I thought we worked hard, did the right things to kind of put ourselves in a decent spot there, tied it up in the third. [Stevenson] gave us a great chance to even be in that game early on."

Drysdale gave the Flyers the 3-2 lead at 14:37 of the third period. Trevor Zegras got the puck to Drysdale at the center of the blue line, and his shot went through a screen and past Stevenson.

It was the defenseman's first goal since Dec. 14 (21 games).

"I think I've had my chances, to be honest with you, I just couldn't put the puck in the net," Drysdale said. "Guys did a great job finding me, finding holes, and it was nice to see it go in."

That kind of shot, one that comes from the middle of the ice with traffic in front of the net, is the kind Flyers coach Rick Tocchet had been wanting to see on the power play.

"I like the shot by Jamie. That's what we've needed," Tocchet said. "About three feet (off the ice), it's hard so we can get a tip on it. ... Teams will pre-scout you, and we're trying to explain to the players that on the pre-scout, if you're overpassing, they won't respect the middle shot. And that's the hardest thing to defend is a middle shot when you're out of position. So, if we can get those types of goals and build on it and get some guys confident with that shot, you can get those types of goals."

Tippett put the Flyers ahead 1-0 at 5:56 of the first period. Taking a pass from Travis Sanheim on the right side of the zone, he cut to the net and tucked the puck around Stevenson's left pad.

It's the first time in five games that Philadelphia scored the first goal. The Flyers had fallen behind early by multiple goals in each of their two previous games, a 3-2 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday and a 6-3 loss at the Boston Bruins on Jan. 29.

"I thought we had more energy," Sanheim said. "Thought you could tell we came out playing fast, we had some pace. Just had more jump. That's what we talked about before the game, and in doing that we ended up making better plays and harder plays."

Grundstrom made it 2-0 at 4:45 of the second period when his centering pass from the boards on the left side deflected in off the skate of Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun.

Protas, who was playing his 300th NHL game, finished a short-handed 2-on-1 rush with Beauvillier to cut it 2-1 at 8:12. It was Protas' fourth career short-handed goal and first of the season.

Beauvillier tied the game 2-2 at 2:40 of the third period, getting the rebound of van Riemsdyk's shot past Vladar in front after a quick touch on the puck from Justin Sourdif.

"It felt like we generated most of the offensive plays in the third period," Beauvillier said. "Obviously, Clay played an unbelievable game and kept us in a game when we're down two. It just [stinks] to come up short and walk out of here without points."

After Drysdale scored, Ristolainen scored on an empty net for the 4-2 final at 19:43. It was the defenseman's first goal since Feb. 25, 2025.

NOTES: Flyers forward Travis Konecny, who was playing his 700th NHL game, had two assists and has nine points (five goals, four assists) during a four-game point streak. ... Philadelphia ended a six-game home skid (0-4-2). ... Grundstrom's goal was his first in 14 games, dating to Dec. 30, 2025. He had been scratched the previous two games. ... It was Beauvillier's second multipoint game of the season. He scored two goals against the St. Louis Blues on Nov. 5, 2025. ... The Capitals had their six-game winning streak against the Flyers end.