PHILADELPHIA — The fans call him Scoracek in Philadelphia, and no player has done more of it this season in the NHL.
Jakub Voracek’s next stop could be the All-Star game.
Voracek bolstered his case as one of the top stars in the game, scoring 1:28 into overtime to lift the Philadelphia Flyers to a 3-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Thursday night.
Voracek scored his 16th goal of the season on the power play, and R.J. Umberger and Sean Courturier also scored to help the Flyers end the Capitals’ three-game win streak.
Alex Ovechkin and Karl Alzner scored for the Capitals, who twice blew one-goal leads.
Voracek leads the league with 33 assists, and his 49 points are just 13 shy of matching a career best.
“I’m not sure that he really thinks about being the top scorer in the league,” coach Craig Berube said. “He wants to win hockey games.”
The Flyers entered Thursday nine points behind the Boston Bruins for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot and play eight of their next 11 games at home as they make a crucial push for contention.
“These next 20 games mean a lot,” Umberger said. “If you get into March and you’re nine points out, you’re in trouble. We need to make up a lot of ground here in the next 20 games.”
Alzner put the Capitals ahead 2-1 early in the third on a shot from the left point that appeared to skim off Ovechkin and into the net. After a lengthy review on a potential high stick call on Ovechkin, the goal stood.
It was the fourth goal of the season for Alzner, who had just seven career goals in his first six seasons.
Washington’s celebration was short lived.
Umberger gave Flyers fans a rare chance to cheer for him when he slid hard on his left knee and pounded home a rebound off the boards to make it 2-2.
Braden Holtby started a 17th consecutive game, a record for Washington goalkeepers, and played in his 23rd consecutive game overall. Holtby had 31 saves in Washington’s 6-2 win Wednesday against Toronto and was strong in his second start in as many nights.
“I think it’s tougher for all guys, everyone,” Holtby said, referring to games on consecutive nights. “No different for goalies than anyone else. You just mentally prepare a little different, might not be quite as extra energy as some nights.”
Holtby had 31 saves — just not the big one against Voracek.
“We stuck with it. It’s hard to do in the position we are,” Voracek said.
Steve Mason, who left Wednesday’s practice early with soreness, stopped 26 shots.
Ovechkin scored his 28th goal in 34 career games against the Flyers, and Mason never had a chance on Ovechkin’s power-play goal 3:08 into the game. It was Ovechkin’s 21st goal of the season, and he now has scored in five consecutive games for the first time since March 2013.
But he had little help the rest of the way.
“Maybe it was just our mentality thinking this was going to be an easy game,” he said.
Courturier evened the score with his 10th goal of the season midway through the period, punching in the puck after it bounced off a couple of players in front of the net.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.