PHILADELPHIA -- Michal Neuvirth stopped 31 shots in his first start of the playoff series, helping the Philadelphia Flyers stave off a sweep with a 2-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night.
The Capitals still lead the series 3-1 heading into Game 5 on Friday night in Washington.
Shayne Gostisbehere and Andrew MacDonald each scored for the Flyers.
Neuvirth was sensational in the third after T.J. Oshie scored early in the period to make it 2-1.
The Capitals still have never swept a best-of-seven playoff series.
The game was marred by a scary hit that saw Flyers center Scott Laughton leave on a stretcher.
Flyers rookie Coach Dave Hakstol shuffled the lineup for the win-or-else game. He benched No. 1 goalie Steve Mason for Neuvirth and moved Brayden Schenn to the top of the line and demoted Jake Voracek.
Mason allowed five power-play goals, including four in a third period, in a 6-1 Game 3 loss. Mason's Game 2 gaffe that allowed Jason Chimera's 101-foot tip-in goal has been replayed on an endless blooper reel in Philly.
Exit Mason, enter Neuvirth.
Neuvirth, who played parts of six seasons in Washington, went 18-8-4 with a 2.27 goal against and a .924 save percentage in 32 games.
Oshie backhanded a rebound off Matt Niskanen's shot from the point just 2:38 into the third.
That was it for the Capitals.
"Every series is about getting the four. We need to get the four," Coach Barry Trotz said. "The sooner you get the four, it gives you a couple opportunities to rest guys, heal guys [and get] a little mental break from the pressures of playoff hockey and a little more time to prepare."
The Flyers seemed like a new team in the first period. Neuvirth stopped all 10 shots, and the punchless top line finally broke through to give the Flyers a lead.
Claude Giroux and Wayne Simmonds were each held without a goal or assist through the first three games. They both assisted on Gostisbehere's blast from the point for the 1-0 lead.
Gostisbehere's goal came on the power play, snapping the Flyers' 0 for 13 postseason skid.
PANTHERS 2, ISLANDERS 1
NEW YORK -- Alex Petrovic scored the tie-breaking goal midway through the third period, and the Florida Panthers beat the New York Islanders to even their first-round playoff series at two games apiece.
Teddy Purcell also scored for Florida, and Jaromir Jagr had an assist for his 200th career playoff point. Roberto Luongo stopped 26 shots.
John Tavares had his third goal of the series for New York, and Thomas Greiss finished with 27 saves.
STARS 3, WILD 2
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Jason Spezza scored the go-ahead goal with his skate, Ales Hemsky and Patrick Eaves each scored on a second-period power play to give Dallas' lagging special teams a lift, and the Stars defeated the Minnesota Wild to push their series lead to 3-1.
Antti Niemi assumed the net from Kari Lehtonen, who started the first three games, and made 28 saves for the Stars. They'll host Game 5 in Dallas on Friday.
Jason Pominville and Charlie Coyle both gave the Wild the lead with second-period goals, but they weren't able to sustain the momentum from a spirited comeback in Game 3 for the entire night.
The Wild finished the game with a 6-on-4 after a high-stick penalty on Antoine Roussel with goalie Devan Dubnyk pulled, but the Stars tightened up and allowed only one shot on target over the 84-second two-man advantage.
Sports on 04/21/2016