Caps beat Flyers in pitchers' duel

WASHINGTON - Claude Giroux galloped through the neutral zone and dragged the puck through two outstretched defenders, finally breaking free just above the top of the circles.

He unleashed a snap shot, not unlike one that has found the twine 133 other times in his career, but it was quickly gobbled up and swallowed by Braden Holtby.

Giroux could do little more than shake his head and exhale, as he slid up the boards and back to the bench in disbelief.

"I was coming in pretty fast," Giroux said, sighing. "I had to make a quick shot."

The Flyers finished with just 21 total shots on Holtby, but posted more point-blank scoring chances than perhaps they do in two or three nights. Holtby had an answer for every one - from Wayne Simmonds' toe-drag five-hole attempt to league-leading scorer Jake Voracek off the rush - and then some.

Making his 25th consecutive appearance in net for the Capitals, Holtby outdueled Rob Zepp in a classic back-and-forth goaltenders battle to down the Flyers, 1-0, last night at a rowdy Verizon Center. It was the fifth time the Flyers have been shut out this season and the first time since Nov. 28 in New York. Jason Chimera scored the lone goal 3 minutes and 13 seconds into the game.

"We played a strong game. We knew it was going to be a tight game," Giroux said. "They've done a good job of winning those games when it's tight."

The Flyers are still the only team to defeat the surging Capitals (6-0-1) in 2015, but they weren't able to steal at least a point against them for the second time in less than a week. Washington has now won seven in a row in the District of Columbia dating back to Dec. 11.

The loss dropped the Flyers (17-20-7) to 11 points back of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Zepp, making his third NHL start, did everything in his power to keep the Flyers in the game - including two sprawling pad saves. He reached a pad out to thwart Eric Fehr's stuff attempt with 53 seconds to play in the second period, similar to his tremendous save in Winnipeg late in that second period in his debut, to give the Flyers a fighting chance in the third period.

"We had some good jump, a lot of nice opportunities," Zepp said. "Give Holtby credit, he came up with some big saves. I thought overall we played a solid game."

The Flyers outshot Washington, 7-5, in the third period. Giroux missed the net on a one-timer opportunity from Mark Streit to send the game to overtime in the waning seconds.

The Flyers whiffed on a night when they held Alex Ovechkin off the scoresheet. Zepp got a little help from the post in that department, but Ovechkin has routinely tormented the Flyers, with 45 points in 35 career games.

"We can't get discouraged," general manager Ron Hextall said. "We did a lot of good things. We controlled a lot of the game. We need to draw on the positives."

Scott Laughton zigged back across the ice, just inside the Capitals' blue line, when he noticed Washington defenseman Matt Niskanen bearing down on him.

Even with his head up, it was too late. There was nowhere for Laughton to turn. Niskanen's shoulder plowed into Laughton's chest, popping the rookie's white helmet off his head as he was driven hard into the ice. Hextall called it a clean check.

Laughton, 20, gingerly skated to the bench, where he fumbled with the door before hurriedly staggering down the tunnel to the Flyers' locker room. There was 2:44 remaining in the second period and Laughton did not return for the third period.

Officially, the Flyers labeled Laughton with an "upper-body" injury, with the possibility of a concussion looming large. Laughton's head - with his helmet jarred loose - did not make any apparently significant contact with the ice. However, his neck and head were jolted with that all-too-familiar whiplash effect.

"Whether it's a concussion, ankle, or knee, I don't reveal anything. I've been consistent in that," Hextall said. "I don't have a timeline [for Laughton to return]."

Laughton will be re-evaluated by the Flyers today. He has missed one game (Jan. 3) with a "lower-body" injury since being called up from the Phantoms on Nov. 19. If Laughton is unable to play tonight against the Canucks, forward Zac Rinaldo figures to draw back into the lineup after sitting out 10 of the last 11 games as a healthy scratch.

Defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo played his first game since Nov. 19, subbing for injured Braydon Coburn . . . One stat that helps separate the Flyers and Capitals in the standings: Washington has trailed just nine times after the first period in 43 games and managed to get at least a point in five of those games. The Flyers have trailed 19 times after one frame in 44 games . . . Tonight's opponent, Vancouver, has totaled just two goals in three straight losses.

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