Flyers flattened by Caps, 6-1, in Game 3

The Flyers played relentlessly for three-plus months to earn a wild-card spot, but the momentum they carried into the Stanley Cup playoffs has come to a screeching halt.

Blame the Washington Capitals.

The Capitals, showing why they led the NHL in points during a pristine regular season, overcame an early deficit and an emotionally charged crowd Monday at the Wells Fargo Center, trouncing the Flyers, 6-1, and moving close to wrapping up the opening-round series.

Washington has a three-games-to-none lead and can clinch the best-of-seven series with a win Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Center.

In franchise history, the Flyers are 1-8 when losing the first three games of a series. That win was against Boston in the 2010 conference semifinals. The Flyers later reached the Stanley Cup Finals that season.

"In this series, you need four wins, and as long as you don't have four wins, you don't have the series," defenseman Mark Streit said. "We have to realize that. We can be bitter and disappointed, but we have to turn the page here."

Alex Ovechkin scored a pair of goals and Washington went 5 for 9 on the power play en route to the stunningly easy victory.

"We have to stay out of the penalty box and be a lot smarter," Streit said.

With 7 minutes, 43 seconds left, there was an all-out brawl and fans - unhappy with the penalties that were accessed - heaved at least 50 glow-in-the-dark wristbands, which were handed out before the game, onto the ice.

That caused a delay, and the fans were scolded by public-address announcer Lou Nolan: "Show class," he said sternly. ". . . The next one who does it will cause us a minor penalty. Do not do it!"

A short time later, more wristbands were thrown after Ovechkin put the Caps ahead, 5-1, by scoring a power-play goal with 5:02 to go.

A delay-of-game penalty was called on the fans.

"Way to go!" Nolan bellowed.

Earlier, the Capitals took a 2-1 lead when Ovechkin (three points), who came off the bench after a line change, beat Steve Mason with a wrist shot from just above the right circle. Ovechkin's shot, which was almost blocked by Radko Gudas' stick, went to the far side, inside the left post.

Washington made it 3-1 on Evgeny Kuznetsov's power-play goal with 18:02 left in the third. Mason couldn't control a strange bounce off the boards and Kuznetsov swooped in and finished off the play.

"It's the first time it's happened to us in a long time - it took the wind out of our sails, and we just weren't able to recover from that," coach Dave Hakstol said of the Caps' third goal.

Defenseman John Carlson's third power-play goal of the series increased the lead to 4-1 with 12:23 left. Carlson had three points.

The Capitals are 8 for 17 on the power play in the series, while the Flyers are 0 for 13.

Washington coach Barry Trotz said his team's power-play unit is playing with lots of confidence, "and they keep giving us lots of practice."

The Capitals' power play has done an about-face from last year's playoffs, when they were 3 for 28.

Fifty-seven seconds into the game, with the tribute video to the late Ed Snider still on everyone's mind, Michael Raffl knocked in a rebound to give the Flyers their first lead of the series.

Brandon Manning's shot was turned aside by Braden Holtby, but Brooks Orpik failed to clear Raffl, and he scored the first playoff goal of his career.

"It was pretty easy to get up for the this game with the tribute to Mr. Snider," Manning said, "and we took advantage of it early."

But the lead didn't last long as the Flyers' special teams continued their meltdown.

"They got the early lead, but there was no panic on our bench," Trotz said. "I thought we played with a lot of grit."

Washington tied it with 15:17 left in the first as an all-alone Marcus Johansson deflected Nicklas Backstrom's point drive past Mason. That gave the Capitals goals in their last three power-play shots in the series.

The Flyers failed to convert - and managed just three shots, total - on their first four power plays Monday. They are a mind-boggling 0 for 26 in the last seven meaningful games, excluding an exhibition-like season finale against the Islanders.

Ovechkin had 18 shot attempts, including five that were on goal. . . . Giroux and Wayne Simmonds have not scored a point in the series. . . . Michal Neuvirth is expected to start Game 4. . . . The Flyers had 13 penalties for 53 minutes. . . . Right winger Colin McDonald, recalled from the Phantoms on Sunday, was a healthy scratch. . . . On Monday, the Flyers recalled eight more Phantoms: defensemen Mark Alt, Davis Drewiske, Robert Hagg and Sam Morin; forwards Taylor Leier, Cole Bardreau and Chris Conner; and goalie Anthony Stolarz.

scarchidi@phillynews.com

@BroadStBull