.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
WASHINGTON -- The Philadelphia Flyers are on a bit of a roll in their uphill fight for a playoff berth.
Their latest win, though, was tempered by an injury to their goalie.
Wayne Simmonds scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period, and the Flyers beat the Washington Capitals 3-1 Sunday despite losing starting goalie Steve Mason.
Mason, who stopped all eight shots he faced, left the ice at 11:18 of the second period and had to be helped to the locker room due to a lower-body injury.
"He won't be coming to Montreal, so I guess it's that serious," Flyers GM Ron Hextall said when asked about the seriousness of Mason's injury.
Hextall said Mason, who wasn't available after the game, will be evaluated Monday in Philadelphia. The GM said it didn't appear to be the same injury that sidelined the goalie in January.
Jakub Voracek avoided going scoreless for three games for the first time this season, adding an empty-netter for his 18th of the season. Mark Streit also scored for the Flyers, who have won five of six.
"We're in a position where we've got to win probably 80 percent of our games at this point," Simmonds said. "We've put ourselves in this position and we know what we've got to do. We've done it before and we have full confidence that we can do it again."
Simmonds made it 2-1 at 3:50 of the third when he crossed the blue line and beat Holtby to the far side from the left circle for his 19th goal.
Ray Emery made five saves in relief of Mason.
Veteran goalie Rob Zepp of the Flyers' American Hockey League affiliate, Lehigh Valley, was injured Saturday, so 21-year-old Anthony Stolarz of the Phantoms is expected to join the Flyers.
Despite allowing Washington six power plays, the Flyers held the Capitals to 14 shots for the first time since March 18, 2011, according to STATS.
"I think we did a good job pressuring, for sure, and then did a good job up ice," Flyers coach Craig Berube said of his penalty killers. "And our D did a good job getting out on Ovechkin."
Ovechkin (17 goals in his last 19 games) still managed to pull into a tie for the league lead with his 33rd goal.
Braden Holtby made 22 saves for the Capitals, who had won three straight.
"I didn't like our execution," Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. "You can't get shots (on goal) if you miss the net, you can't get shots if you don't get the puck to the next level, and we turned a lot of pucks over in the neutral zone."
The Flyers, starting a four-game road trip, took a 1-0 lead 50 seconds into the second period when Streit's shot from the point eluded Holtby.
At 11:18 of the period, Philadelphia's Matt Read was whistled for interference. With play stopped, Mason left.
Mason sustained a lower body injury Jan. 10 against Boston, and returned to action Jan. 27.
Emery entered and 40 seconds later faced a 5-on-3 power play after Michael Del Zotto's high sticking penalty.
The Flyers got one man back, but Evgeny Kuznetsov threaded a pass across the slot to Ovechkin who was able to take his time before sending a wrist shot past Emery to tie it at 13:29.
Emery shut the door after that.
"I thought Ray did a great job. He looked sharp right from the get-go," Berube said. "It's tough . going in when there's a power play right away."
Notes: Kuznetsov has eight points in his last eight games. . Flyers F Scott Laughton fought Capitals D Matt Niskanen in the first period. In the teams' last meeting, Jan. 14, a clean, open-ice hit by Niskanen knocked Laughton out of the game, and the winger missed seven games with a concussion. ... Flyers F Michael Raffl (pneumonia) missed his fifth straight game. ... Capitals D Mike Green (lower body injury) returned after missing one game.
