WASHINGTON _ Second-year Philadelphia Flyers coach Dave Hakstol made more lineup changes Sunday afternoon at the Verizon Center, but it didn't stop The Great Skid that has followed their 10-game winning streak.
They dropped a 5-0 decision to a Washington team that played its backup goalie, Philipp Grubauer, and for the first two periods appeared to be looking ahead to its showdown with Pittsburgh on Monday.
The Capitals woke up. They pulled away from a 1-0 lead by scoring four goals _ two by Justin Williams, two by defenseman Matt Niskanen _ in a five-minute span early in the third period. That chased Steve Mason (five goals on 17 shots) and gave the Caps a cushy 5-0 lead.
Washington won its sixth straight, while the Flyers lost their ninth in a row on the road (0-7-2).
Overall, the Flyers have just three wins in 14 games since their 10-game winning streak ended.
Hakstol put Wayne Simmonds back on the top line and dropped Travis Konecny down to the third unit. He also reinserted defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, benched Brandon Manning, and put Mason back in goal after a one-game break.
No matter. The Flyers played two pretty good periods before an embarrassing third-period span in which they yielded continual odd-man rushes, and Mason allowed Niskanen's long shot to bounce off his glove and into the net.
Stop the season, the Flyers want to get off.
Washington had only 10 shots over the first two periods and didn't seem all that interested.
The Caps took the lead when Flyers defenseman Michael Del Zotto whiffed on a clearing attempt and had it taken away by Andre Burakovsky, whose power play goal gave Washington a 1-0 lead midway through the second.
The Flyers, who have allowed four or more goals in eight of the last 11 games, now go on their bye week and don't play until Saturday, when they host New Jersey.
