John Tortorella’s team moves to 7-1-0 after the holiday break

Flyers take down Capitals again, improve to 7-1-0 since holiday break Original version: NBC Sports Philadelphia

Saturday night saw the Flyers play some of their best hockey since John Tortorella took over.

To sweep their home-and-home match against Washington, the club won 3-1 at Capital One Arena.

Travis KonecnyThe Flyers’ 10-game point streak was over, but they achieved balanced production. Scott Laughton, James van Riemsdyk Wade Allison The net was at the back.

Laughton, Tony DeAngelo, Joel Farabee, Owen Tippett, Morgan Frost Kevin Hayes All of them recorded an assist.

Carter Hart It was exceptional in net.

Since the NHL-mandated holiday break, the Flyers (18-18-7) are 7-1-0. This stretch has seen them score 4.00 goals per match and yield just 2.25.

Their.875 point percentage is the highest in hockey during that time.

The Flyers won 2-1 against the Capitals (23-16-6).

Washington was previously 13-2-2 in its 17 previous games before the Flyers’ two straight defeats.

• The Flyers haven’t played this well in over two and half years.

It seems like they have at least better ingredients than most people thought.

Five of the top six forwards are either 25-years-old or younger. The bottom six have a good mix of defense and offense. Their defense pairs are quite balanced. The team has a starting goalie who is 24 years old and a backup who is 23 years old, both of whom have shown promise.

When they score at least three goals, the Flyers’ record is 16-4-4. This is the key to offense.

In 11 of their 12 most recent games, they have scored at least three goals.

In this transitional season, the Flyers would have to be a defense team. The Flyers are making positive strides thanks to their young players and the support of their more experienced players.

Although nobody says playoffs, it’s not clear that the Flyers’ future is as grim following last year’s awful 25-46-11 campaign.

• Hart swept the home-and-home set against the Capitals. He blocked 39 of 40 shots on Saturday. a 26-save performance in Wednesday’s 5-3 victory over Washington.

In the third period on Saturday, the Capitals were in a two-goal deficit and had to convert 19 saves.

Hart was fantastic all night.

Frost suffered a terrible turnover which led to Alex Ovechkin‘s game-tying first-period marker. Frost placed the puck along the Flyers’ goal line and moved it toward the circle. Hart was not able to stop Ovechkin, who pounced and finally got the puck past Hart.

Frost made up the difference with an assist to van Riemsdyk’s second-period Goal that put the Flyers back in control, 2-1. The goal came against the Ovechkin line, so Tortorella’s continued trust in the van Riemsdyk-Frost-Tippett line was rewarded.

Darcy Kuemper, Washington netminder faced 25 shots from Flyers and stopped 22,

• Under-the-radar defensive efforts Saturday:

Allison was an ideal third-liner, with six hits and three blocked shots in the second period.

Patrick Brown, the fourth-line center was excellent on the Flyers penalty kill which went 3-3 against the always-dangerous Capitals man edge.

Rasmus Ristolainen It has been reliable since mid December and it continues to be.

• Laughton opened the game’s scoring in the first period with his fifth power play goal. The 28-year old alternate captain came into this season having scored zero power plays in his NHL career.

Laughton has been a leader in all situations for the Flyers. Laughton’s 18-game streak has seen him score 18 points (8 goals and 10 assists).

Laughton and Konecny both have five man-advantage goals and three shorthanded goals.

• The Flyers’ hot streak runs into the 33-5-4 Bruins with a Monday afternoon puck drop on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (1 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

Boston is home at 20-1-3

The Flyers host the Ducks on Tuesday (7:05 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

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