Alex Ovechkin scores twice, hitting 30 goals for 20th season, as Capitals beat Flyers 6-4

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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)

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) — 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)

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9:03 PM on Tuesday, March 31

By SAMMI SILBER

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 four 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.

Martone, who signed his entry-level contract on Sunday, led the Flyers with five shots on goal through nearly 17 minutes in his debut.

Up next

Flyers: Host Detroit on Thursday.

Capitals: Visit New Jersey on Thursday.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl