Philadelphia Flyers eliminated from playoff contention following loss to Washington Capitals

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The Philadelphia Flyers were eliminated from playoff contention in Tuesday night's 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals.

T.J. Oshie's empty-net goal with 3 minutes left helped the exhausted Capitals beat Philadelphia under absurd circumstances. The score was tied when Philadelphia coach John Tortorella pulled his goaltender for an extra attacker because his team needed to win in regulation to keep its hopes alive.

What Tortorella didn't know was that Detroit scoring with 3.3 seconds remaining to force to overtime at Montreal perhaps a minute earlier actually eliminated the Flyers.

"We'll take it," Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin said. "Thanks, Philly."

Tortorella found out just after Oshie's empty-netter about the Red Wings result. By then, it was too late, and the result also eliminated Detroit and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Washington will face the Presidents' Trophy-winning New York Rangers in the first round beginning this weekend, returning to the playoffs after a one-year absence ended their eight-year streak.

Before being pulled, Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson stopped 16 of the 17 shots he faced.

"That was one of the most encouraging things of it all, is the last three games that Ers can go home in the summer with that," Tortorella said. "It's ridiculous how much we played him. But he gets to go home feeling he rebounded and he found himself again."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.