PHILADELPHIA – If there were doubts the Flyers still believe they’re alive in a playoff chase, they pretty much erased those on Saturday afternoon in South Philly.
Still a handful of points from a postseason berth with a couple dozen games to play, the Flyers made it known they remain in the hunt with a convincing 6-3 win over the Pacific Division-leading Edmonton Oilers at the Wells Fargo Center.
Rookie Matvei Michkov led the offensive parade with a goal and two assists while Owen Tippett chipped in with a pair of goals.
Goaltender Sam Ersson was under attack almost from the opening whistle but still managed to thwart the Oilers for the most part, especially keeping 4 Nations Face-Off hero Connor McDavid off the scoresheet.
Michkov looked a bit fatigued before the 4 Nations break but in Saturday’s game he looked about as peppy as he did back in October.
The 20-year-old Russian finished a career-high plus-5 and it was his first three-point game.
“He’s a really good player, but I can’t predict what he’s going to do,” coach John Tortorella said in his post-game press session. “I hope he feels refreshed. He was very energetic on the bench. We expect so much out of these people, from young kids coming from another country. It’s a grind on them so hopefully this helped.”
Michkov’s three points give him 39 for the season, just two off the NHL rookie lead heading into Saturday night action.
Playing with Couturier has helped. Playing against McDavid raised the energy level, too.
“In the first period, he danced around me,” Michkov grinned. “My head is still spinning.”
The second period has been a problem for the Flyers all season long, having been outscored by a whopping 72-50 margin, but the tables were turned in this game.
Trailing 2-1 after one period, the Flyers outscored the high-powered Oilers 4-2 in the middle frame to take a 5-3 edge into the final 20 minutes.
During that scoring burst, Sean Couturier posted his 200th NHL career goal.
Tippett, just back from a stint on the injured list before the 4 Nations Face-Off break, led the way with a pair of goals.
The first goal, just 1:45 into the second, was one for the highlight reel. Tippett initiated a power rush down the left side, shielded the puck away from defenseman Brett Kulak, and somehow lifted a backhand shot over goaltender Stuart Skinner’s right shoulder.
Given Tippett hadn’t played in about a month, Tortorella was impressed by the player’s performance.
Tippett was all smiles after one of his best games of the season.
“I think the break came at a good time for me,” he said.
No, I think the break came at a good time for me,” Tippett said. “Obviously, it sucks being out but luckily it came at a good time. I’m
happy to be back now.
Couturier gave the Flyers a 3-2 lead at 7:13 when, standing at the goalmouth, he chipped in a swing-around pass from Michkov.
After the Oilers tied the score on a goal by Mattias Ekholm at 8:34, Tippett went back to work. Michkov broke loose in the right circle, spotted Tippett rushing to the net and pinpointed a pass right onto his stick for a 5-3 lead.
Then new Flyer Andrei Kuzmenko got into the act with his first goal for the locals. With the Flyers on a power play, Kuzmenko finished off a feed from Travis Konecny at 15:37 and the Flyers had their important two-goal edge.
Michkov opened the game’s scoring just 2:07 into the first. He finished off a nice rush provided by Scott Laughton elusive tactics at center ice. But the Oilers came back on goals from John Klingberg (7:06) and Leon Draisaitl (9:31). Draisaitl’s 41 goals lead the NHL.
The Flyers are 15-2-4 when leading after two periods.
Rasmus Ristolainen scored into an empty net with net 2:59 to play.
The line of Tippett, Michkov and Couturier finished the game with five of the Flyers’ six goals.
