NHL

Knuble leads Flyers to 2OT win over Capitals

Philadelphia puts Washington on brink of elimination with Game 4 win

Tom Mihalek / AP

Philadelphia's Mike Knuble, left, celebrates his goal in double overtime with Kimmo Timonen, top right, and Jeff Carter. Philadelphia beat Washington 4-3 to take a 3-1 lead in the first-round series. The Flyers will look to eliminate the Capitals in Game 5 at Washington on Saturday (1 p.m. ET, NBC).

When Carter scored his first goal only 42 seconds into the game, the diehards erupted in jubilation and it seemed like the Flyers would be able to ride that emotional boost for at least the rest of the period.

Instead, Washington came out swinging.

The Caps were hardly rattled by the early goal and they initiated some physical play early. Tempers quickly flared, with pushing, shoving and punching in the corners, and Briere and Alexander Semin each sent to the penalty box.

Briere was whistled for holding and roughing, and the double-minor cost the Flyers when Ovechkin centered Nicklas Backstrom for the power-play goal that tied the score at 1.

Boudreau tinkered with his line combinations the last two days, both at even strength and on the power play, hoping to find the right on that would finally generate some early offense.

The Capitals were 2-for-16 on the power play the first three games, but made it 2-for-2 in the first period to go ahead 2-1.

Briere (slashing) and Derian Hatcher (slashing) were in the box and Washington had 13 seconds of a two-man advantage, all the time that was needed for Semin to beat Biron upstairs from the far circle with 7:01 left.

Carter tied it at 2 with 1:27 left on his third goal of the playoffs. The Scottie Upshall-Carter-Knuble line had three goals and four assists.

Now the series moves back to Washington, where the two games were split.

“We know we can win there,” Briere said.

Notes: Former Philadelphia Eagle Vince Papale was at the game. ... Capitals D Jeff Schultz, who was hurt in Game 3, was scratched. ... The Flyers played their first overtime home playoff game since May 20, 2004 against Tampa Bay.

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