Capitals top Flyers in shootout

Courtesy of the Sports Network

Viktor Kozlov scored the game-winner in the shootout as the Washington Capitals won a hard-fought battle against the Philadelphia Flyers, 2-1, at Verizon Center.

Kozlov was the first shooter and he lifted a backhander over Martin Biron.

Jose Theodore then made pad saves on Simon Gagne, Mike Richards and Jeff Carter to preserve the win.

Nicklas Backstrom scored the goal in regulation while Theodore finished the game with 33 saves for the red-hot Capitals, who have won seven straight and are 18-1-1 at home this season.

Washington reached its mid-point of the regular season and has a record of 27-11-3, good for a 10-point lead over Carolina for first place in the Southeast Division and second overall in the Eastern Conference.

Braydon Coburn scored the lone goal while Biron stopped 33 shots in the loss for the Flyers, who finished a season-high six-game road trip with a mark of 2-2-2.

It was a spirited first period that saw shots and hits all over the ice and the Capitals were the team that took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.

Skating on an early power play, Alexander Semin had the puck behind the net and sent a quick centering pass to Backstrom, who banged it in from down low for his 12th goal of the season at the 2:10 mark.

Theodore was on his game in the first period and stopped all 12 shots he saw and helped kill two power plays, including 30 seconds of a 5-on-3 to keep Philadelphia off the board.

The second period went scoreless as Washington threw 13 shots on net while Philadelphia had 11, all of which the goaltenders turned aside.

A hooking penalty to Michael Nylander just 18 seconds into the third period set up Philadelphia's goal. After the whistle, the left circle faceoff was won by Philadelphia and the puck came back to Kimmo Timonen, who fired the puck to the right point for a one-timer by Coburn that beat Theodore just 23 seconds into the third.

The Capitals had the best opportunity of overtime as an errant pass resulted in the Caps heading the other way on a 2-on-1 break, but Glen Metropolit got back at the last second to break up the play.

Game Notes

The Flyers return home to face Minnesota on Thursday...Washington hosts Columbus on Friday...Gagne returned to the lineup after missing the previous two games with a shoulder strain...It was the third straight shootout for Philadelphia...Washington has won nine straight at home...Each team went 1- for-4 on the power play.