Watch: Capitals’ Dmitry Orlov Flips Matt Duchene With Hip Check In 3-0 Win Over Avalanche

Dmitry Orlov, a Washington Capitals defenseman, flipped Colorado Avalanche forward Matt Duchene with a perfectly-timed hip check in the first period of the Capital’s 3-0 home win Tuesday night.

Watch: Capitals’ Dmitry Orlov Flips Matt Duchene With Hip Check

The hit came just under six minutes into the game, with Duchene racing down the right wing while controlling the puck.

Caps analyst Craig Laughlin praised the check as the best hit he has seen in 25 years.

Despite what looked like a hard landing, however, Duchene immediately got up and continued playing. Perhaps the fact that the Colorado forward landed on his legs made the fall less painful.

Orlov didn’t receive any penalty and Duchene stayed in the game.

Orlov has previously taken down several other players with hip checks in his career.

In 2012, he flipped Steve Downie, then of the Tampa Bay Lightning:

In 2011, Orlov sent Winnipeg Jets forward Blake Wheeler flying. Orlov even did a hip check on his current teammate Lars Eller back when Eller was with the Montreal Canadiens.

Just last season, Orlov performed a hip check on New York Islanders forward Anders Lee.

T.J. Oshie scored two goals (one on a power play in the second period and one in the third), and Alex Ovechkin added his own power-play goal to lead the Capitals (2-0-1) to victory on Tuesday.

Goaltender Philipp Grubauer made 18 saves for his first NHL shutout. Semyon Varlamov made 37 saves for the Avalanche (2-1-0).

The Capitals will next visit the Florida Panthers on Thursday night, while the Avalanche will visit the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday.

WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 18: Matt Duchene #9 of the Colorado Avalanche flips over Dmitry Orlov #9 of the Washington Capitals in the first period at Verizon Center on October 18, 2016 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Article by Pablo Mena