| First meeting | November 9, 1974 |
|---|---|
| Latest meeting | March 20, 2025 |
| Next meeting | February 3, 2026 |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 276[1][2] |
| All-time series | 138–108–19–11 (PHI) |
| Regular season series | 124–92–19–11 (PHI) |
| Postseason results | 16–14 (WSH) |
| Largest victory | PHI 11–2 WSH April 1, 1976 |
| Longest win streak | PHI W6 (3 times) WSH W6 (2 times) |
| Current win streak | WSH W6 |
| Postseason history | |
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TheCapitals–Flyers rivalry is aNational Hockey League (NHL)rivalry between theWashington Capitals andPhiladelphia Flyersice hockey clubs. Both teams compete in the NHL'sEastern ConferenceMetropolitan Division. The two teams have been rivals since the Capitals inception in the1974–75 season, but became most intense in the 1980s when the Capitals joined thePatrick Division.[3] After years of quiet matchups throughout 1990s and early 2000s, the rivalry was renewed in mid-2000s and continued to grow until 2020s with both teams being equally competitive resulting in two playoff matches in2008 and2016.
Due to the proximity of each team (124 miles fromPhiladelphia toWashington viaInterstate 95), the Flyers and Capitals are natural rivals. It was common for theCapital Centre, where the Capitals played, to be filled with many Flyers fans during the meetings. This led to an intense hatred for Capitals fans, and became even more intense when they joined the Flyers in thePatrick Division. After struggling for close to a decade, the Capitals finally made the playoffs in 1983, but did not meet the Flyers until the next season. The Capitals, then led byMike Gartner andRod Langway, got their first playoff series win in franchise history by defeating the Flyers in the1984 Patrick Division semifinals 3–0 in a best-of-five. This stunning sweep also marked the end of two legendary Flyers careers,Bobby Clarke andBill Barber.
During the1987–88 NHL season, the rivalry became intense. With both teams set to play each other in the first round of the playoffs, the two teams met in a regular season game on the final day of the regular season (April 3, 1988). The game decided home-ice advantage during that first round match-up for which the game finished 2–2, with Capitals' defensemanGarry Galley scored two goals.[4] Both teams finished with 85 points and 38 wins, but Washington earned the home-ice advantage by winning four of the six games between the teams (minus the extra game at theSpectrum). The two teams met again in the1988 Patrick Division semifinals. This time, the Flyers took a 3–1 lead, only to have the Capitals come back and force a game 7. Both teams sent the game into overtime, and Capitals forwardDale Hunter won it for the Capitals, making it one of the greatest playoff memories in team history.
The Flyers got their revenge the following season in1989, as the Flyers won the series 4–2. The series is perhaps best remembered for a historical feat committed by Flyers goaltenderRon Hextall. Hextall became the firstNHL goaltender to score a goal in the Stanley Cup playoffs, by actually shooting the puck into the empty net. Hextall was also the first to do that feat in the regular season, having done it theyear before.
Perhaps the most notable moment of the rivalry in the 1990s was of a fight filled game at the Cap Centre. On February 10, 1991, the Flyers and Capitals faced off in one of the most violent games between the two teams. The first period was fight filled, but the most notable moment happened in the third period with the Capitals leading big. Capitals forward Dale Hunter laid a vicious elbow to the face of Flyers defensemanGord Murphy, which sent Flyers head coachPaul Holmgren into a frenzy, as he banged a stick against the plexiglass that separates the team benches and got in a shouting match with Capital head coachTerry Murray andenforcerAlan May. The Flyers later responded withenforcerCraig Berube crushing Capitals goalieDon Beaupre behind the net. This led to another brawl and many fines for both teams.[5] Each team was fined $5,000 and Paul Holmgren was fine $1,000 for his actions. Dale Hunter was suspended four games for his hit on Gord Murphy.[6]
Another notable moment was of another brawl, this time inThe Spectrum. Flyers goalie Ron Hextall and Capitals forwardRob Pearson got into a notable scrum in February 1995 but was the last notable moment between the two teams for many seasons.
The rivalry grew dormant throughout the rest of the decade, as the two teams did not meet in the playoffs in the newly constructedAtlantic Division. With the1998–99 realignment moving the Capitals into theSoutheast Division, the rivalry grew even more dormant, especially as the Capitals struggled following their playoff run to the1998 Stanley Cup Final ended in a sweep against theDetroit Red Wings, just as Flyers season ended theyear before.
With the arrival of the Capitals new, young starAlexander Ovechkin, this led to a rebirth of the intensity between the two teams. After 19 seasons, the two teams finally met again in the2008 conference quarterfinals. Capitals star Alex Ovechkin made an impact early, as he scored the game-winning goal in game one. The Flyers won the next three games, with game 4 being won by Flyers forwardMike Knuble in double-overtime. Reminiscent of their 1988 playoff series, the Capitals forced a game seven back in Washington, D.C., on April 22, which included overcoming an early 2–0 deficit in Philadelphia in Game 6. This time, however, the Flyers won after Flyers forwardJoffrey Lupul scored the game and series winning goal for Philadelphia in overtime on the power play.
The rivalry became its most intense since the 1980s, especially during the2013–14 season. The Flyers were off to a miserable start to the season, and would face the Capitals on November 1, 2013. The Capitals crushed the Flyers 7–0 in Philadelphia, with Flyers fans chanting for GM Paul Holmgren to be fired. However, the most notable moment of the game was the line-brawl during the third period. Flyers forwardWayne Simmonds dished out a huge hit on Capitals defensemanSteven Oleksy, which led to Simmonds dropping the gloves with the CapitalsTom Wilson, leading to a brawl. Flyers goaltenderRay Emery joined in and fought Capitals goalieBraden Holtby, who was an unwitting combatant. Emery was given two minutes for instigating, two for leaving the crease, five for fighting, and a ten-minute misconduct.[7] Despite the controversy surrounding the brawl, the Flyers cited the game as a rally cry, and made the playoffs, despite the slow start to the season.
Later that season, on March 5, 2014, the two teams would engage in another fight filled game. This time in an eventual 6–4 Flyers win, the brawl started early as Flyers defensemanLuke Schenn checked Capitals forwardRyan Stoa into the boards, which led to a fight between Schenn and Tom Wilson. At the same time, the FlyersVincent Lecavalier and CapitalsJohn Erskine fought, as did Wayne Simmonds and the CapitalsConnor Carrick. The brawl, coincidentally, occurred on the 10-year anniversary of the famous Flyersbrawl with the Ottawa Senators.[8]
After storming to make the playoffs, both teams faced off in the2016 Eastern Conference first round. The Capitals were thePresidents' Trophy winners and were heavily favored. The Capitals took a 3–0 series lead, but the Flyers extended it to game six, thanks to a 44-save performance by goaltender (and former Capital)Michal Neuvirth. The Flyers only had 11 shots during the game, the fewest in franchise history for a playoff game.[9] The Capitals won game six, however, to win the series 4–2.
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