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PHILADELPHIA - The Flyers have reached a point where winning isn't enough to please coach Ken Hitchcock.
Tony Amonte and Jeremy Roenick each had a goal and assist, leading Philadelphia to a 4-2 victory Thursday night over the Capitals.
But Hitchcock, in his second season with the Flyers, wasn't happy with the way his team played in the third period when the Capitals scored their goals.
"It turned into a track meet, which is the way they like it," Hitchcock said. "We dominated the game for 40 minutes, but then we tried to play the clock out. We have to push ourselves."
Robert Esche stopped 20 shots for his fourth straight win, and the Flyers remained unbeaten at home (4-0-2) with their fourth win in five games. Vancouver (6-0-1) is the only other team unbeaten at home.
Justin Williams and Keith Primeau also scored for Philadelphia. Joel Kwiatkowski and Brian Sutherby had Washington's goals.
The last-place Capitals, coming off a 5-1 win over Tampa Bay on Tuesday night, are 3-9-1.
Roenick set up Amonte's goal with a sensational play midway through the first. He took a pass in stride from Eric Weinrich, skated through two defenders and broke in against Capitals goaltender Olaf Kolzig. After drawing Kolzig over, Roenick threaded a pass to Amonte, who fended off a defender for an easy shot into an open net. It was Amonte's fifth goal in nine games, and gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead.
Kwiatkowski spoiled Esche's shutout bid with his first goal this season and second of his career midway through the third.
BLUES 3, CANUCKS 2: Keith Tkachuk scored his second straight winning goal, leading host St. Louis in a match between first-place teams.
Tkachuk, who scored in overtime on Tuesday when St. Louis beat Anaheim, leads the Blues with seven goals this season. In 47 games against the Canucks, Tkachuk has 46 points.
The Blues, in first place in the Central at 8-3-0-1, have won seven of nine. Vancouver, the Northwest leader at 9-3-2, had its five-game winning streak snapped. The loss also broke the Canucks' nine-game unbeaten streak.
AVALANCHE 2, COYOTES 1: Joe Sakic and Milan Hejduk scored third-period goals, and Peter Forsberg posted his 500th career assist for host Colorado. Avalanche rookie Philippe Sauve had 27 saves to record his first NHL win.
Sean Burke had 29 saves for the Coyotes, whose winless streak was extended to nine games (0-6-3). Sakic's 512th career goal moved him into a tie for 28th in history with Buffalo's Gilbert Perreault.
HURRICANES 6, RANGERS 3: Craig Adams had two goals for host Carolina, which snapped a three-game losing streak. Carolina beat the Rangers for the first time in six games.
The two goals by Adams were his ninth and 10th in 170 career games. Erik Cole finished off the Rangers with an empty-net goal with 49 seconds left.
ISLANDERS 4, STARS 1: Trent Hunter's goal with 3:20 left in regulation broke a tie and lifted host New York. Hunter took the puck around the net, moved to the lower left circle, and wristed his fifth goal over goalie Marty Turco's glove. Shawn Bates iced it on a backhand with a minute left.
OILERS 3, SENATORS 3: Ethan Moreau and Fernando Pisani scored 2:30 apart in the second and visiting Edmonton overcame a two-goal deficit.
Marian Hossa had his second two-goal game of the season, and Peter Schaefer scored short-handed for Ottawa, winless in four (0-2-2).
SHARKS 5, BRUINS 5: Sergei Samsonov scored with 13.4 seconds left for host Boston.
Samsonov tied it when he chopped at the puck in front of the crease and it bounced past goalie Vesa Toskala. San Jose just missed its first win in Boston, where the Sharks are 0-7-3.
PANTHERS: Center Stephen Weiss was called up and forward Craig MacDonald was sent to AHL San Antonio.
RED WINGS: Defenseman Derian Hatcher had right knee ligament surgery and is expected to be sidelined 4-6 months.