Flyers had ulterior motive, Andrew MacDonald says

The Flyers had an ulterior motive Wednesday to extend their playoff series against Washington.

They didn't want to attend Ed Snider's memorial celebration Thursday having been swept out of the playoffs in four games.

"It would have been discouraging," said Andrew MacDonald after scoring the winning goal as the Flyers edged the Capitals on Wednesday, 2-1, and cut Washington's series lead to three games to one.

The Flyers dedicated their season and the playoffs to Snider, the team's chairman and co-founder who died April 11 after a two-year battle with bladder cancer.

After Monday's 6-1 loss, which followed a stirring tribute to the beloved Snider, "Ed's kids came in the locker room and talked to us a little bit and just told us to keep our heads up and regroup for Game 4 here _  and I think that meant a lot to a lot of guys," MacDonald said. "Guys really took it hard because it was such an emotional night to start the night. We scored the first goal and obviously the letdown after that."

"I think it was great to get a big win today and move forward and look forward to Game 5," he added.

The Flyers will attend Thursday's 1 p.m. ceremony for Snider at the Wells Fargo Center.

"Ed was Mr. Flyer. He was everything," MacDonald said. "Obviously it'll be sad,  but it will be a great way to honor a great man that brought everything to this city."

Breakaways. Radko Gudas had seven blocked shots and Nick Schultz had six. Schultz has 16 blocks in the series, placing him No. 1 among all players participating in the playoffs....Ryan White on teammate Scott Laughton getting injured as he slid into the boards after a push by John Carlson.  "It was scary. I know his folks are here tonight. I'm sure it was pretty scary for Bonnie, his mom." The Flyers later said Laughton would stay at Jefferson Hospital overnight for precaution and that all tests were negative.