Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek each scored twice and the Philadelphia Flyers held off the Washington Capitals 6-4 on Wednesday to sweep a home-and-home set.
Philadelphia led 4-0 with just over eight minutes left in the second thanks to a pair of goals from Giroux and one each from Voracek and Adam Hall, but the Capitals countered with three straight markers to move within 4-3 midway through the third.
However, Voracek scored his second of the night shortly after, and despite Brooks Laich potting a power-play goal with six minutes left to get the Caps within one, the Flyers were able to hold on down the stretch.
Steve Downie added an empty-netter to account for the final margin, while Steve Mason made 21 saves for Philadelphia, which has won three straight and seven of its last eight games.
"We got the win, but at the end of the day we've got to make sure that when we've got a lead like that, we've got to be able to keep it," Giroux said.
Alex Ovechkin collected a goal and an assist, while Troy Brouwer and Joel Ward also lit the lamp for the Capitals, who had won four straight before dropping a 5-4 overtime decision to the Flyers on Sunday.
Braden Holtby allowed four goals on 18 shots before being removed midway through the second period. Philipp Grubauer stopped 10-of-11 shots in relief.
Giroux beat Holtby with a backhander from in front at 6:48 of the first period before assisting on Voracek's blast from the high slot just 1:34 later to give the Flyers a 2-0 edge.
"Real disappointing," Ward said of Washington's start to the game. "I don't know what to say on the start, just a couple of mistakes that we made obviously and they gained some momentum from it."
Giroux ripped a wrister high over Holtby's shoulder 5:26 into the second following a Mike Green turnover before Hall's tip-in tally at 11:52 created a four-goal spread for the Flyers.
Ward was credited with a power-play goal at 14:06 to bring Washington within 4-1, and Ovechkin made it a two-goal game when his one-timer from the left circle sailed past Mason with the Caps on a power play 6:35 into the third.
Brouwer roofed a one-timer from between the circles just under three minutes later to make it 4-3, but Voracek restored Philadelphia's two-goal spread at 11:51 when he beat Grubauer blocker-side from the slot off a nice feed from Scott Hartnell.
The Capitals got within a goal again after Laich tipped in Green's right point blast with Washington on the power play at 14:00, but Mason stood tall between the pipes to maintain Philadelphia's one-goal edge.
Game Notes
Philadelphia defenseman Andrew MacDonald, who was acquired from the New York Islanders on Tuesday, played 18 minutes in his debut with the Flyers ... Washington forward Dustin Penner, acquired from the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday, registered one shot in just under 17 minutes of ice time ... Washington acquired goaltender Jaroslav Halak from Buffalo on Wednesday in exchange for goaltender Michal Neuvirth and defenseman Rostislav Klesla ... Washington went 3-for-4 on the power play and Philadelphia finished 1-for-2 ... Green and Washington's Nicklas Backstrom each had two assists ... Philadelphia's Matt Read recorded two helpers.