PHILADELPHIA – Whatever changes Matvei Michkov made to his training regimen this season, by all means don’t let him change a thing.
The Flyers’ young Russian, who worked hard on his off-season conditioning this past summer, came into the current season lighter, faster and more determined.
One game after scoring the winning goal in Philadelphia’s 3-1 decision over Ottawa on Saturday, Michkov continued his blazing start with two of the three Flyers’ goals in Monday night’s 3-2 victory over Colorado at Xfinity Mobile Arena. It was the Flyers’ second straight win after starting the season 0-6-3 and moved them past Columbus and out of the Metropolitan Division basement.
Making the win all that much more impressive, the Flyers needed to use at least four substitutes (Hunter McDonald, Cole Knuble, Alex Bump and Jacob Gaucher) in their lineup due to injuries.
“I thought the guys that were called up did a great job,” coach Rick Tocchet said. “Each one contributed. It seemed like we played faster early on in the game. I thought that helped our confidence.”
Michkov upped his season goal total to six. No one else on the Flyers has more than two. He also has a four-game goal streak.
The second goal at 12:23 of the second period gave the Flyers a 2-0 lead. Michkov circled the Colorado zone, then delivered a shot from the top of the slot which eluded Colorado goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood.
Michkov seems to be taking a matter-of-fact attitude to this renaissance.
“I’m feeling good,” he said. “I think the power play is getting better. But I think we need more power play (goals). That’s better for the team. I felt so good tonight. I want to support the team more.”
Added Tocchet: “Those (two) goals are goal-scorer’s goals. Timing it right. Sometimes you overshoot it or you’re too late.”
Although Colorado countered with a goal from Martin Necas on a shot past goalie Joseph Woll with 2:08 to play in the second, the Flyers stuck with their tight defense, got a goal from Noel Acciari at 6:34 of the third period (his first as a Flyer, offsetting a late Colorado goal) and came away with the win.
The Flyers took a 1-0 lead in the first period on Michkov’s first goal.
With the Flyers on a power play, the scoring sequence began with Trevor Zegras unleashing a shot at the net. Porter Martone was standing right on the crease line as the puck caromed to Michkov for an easy shot at 7:41.
The Avalanche challenged the play, claiming Martone had interfered with goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood. After a lengthy review, officials let the goal stand and the Flyers got an additional power play.
Philadelphia finished the period with a 13-8 shot advantage.
>Acciari rewarded
Tocchet decided to put Acciari on the top line with Christian Dvorak and Zegras. The move paid off as the journeyman came up with the game-winner.
“It’s alaways great to get that first one over with,” Acciari said. “A timely goal. Chip away at it as a team. I think we’re playing the right way.
“And it’s a really good group in here, based off their success last year. We didn’t get the start we wanted, whether that it was thinking it would be following up last year. I think every game we’ve learned something, over the past two wins I think we’ve gotten better. We’ve got to follow that.”
Tocchet sounded pleased the gamble with promoting Acciari paid off.
“That was our gameplan tonight,” he said. “You play a high-powered team like that, you need to have some kind of line that can shut those guys down. I had a feeling.”
>Knuble excited by first game
The Mike-Cole Knuble connection became the first father-son combination to ever play for the Flyers. Mike and the family flew in from Michigan to view the historic moment.
“I didn’t know that,” Cole said of the distinction. “That’s cool to hear. Something to take pride in.”
Cole used to hang around the rink when his father played here. He said the fans are just as loud as they were years ago.
“The fans are as loud as I remember,” he said. “It was just so awesome being out there.”
Any words of advice from dad?
“He trusts me I think,” Cole said. “He just said how proud he is.”
The coach was impressed with his play.
“There were times when the puck was inside our blue line, they were about to get it and he (Knuble) got it,” Tocchet said. “That was something we lacked. That was unreal. If he doesn’t get that out and they keep it in, who knows what happens?
>Three-assist night for Zegras
Zegras assisted on all three Flyers goals. Tocchet noticed this standout performance. He needs Zegras to be the player he was last year.
“Our compete was obviously a lot better,” Zegras said. “Execution was really good.”
Nice to turn things around with two wins?
“We knew we were in a hole,” Zegras said. “Nobody was going to feel sorry for us. We had to dig out. I like what we’re doing so far. A lot of hockey left, we know that and we just have to keep getting better every day.”
>Short shots
The Flyers shuffle off to Buffalo on Wednesday for a game against the Sabres. . .In last Saturday night’s win over Ottawa, Michkov scored his 50th career goal, making him the fifth-youngest player (21 year, 312 days) to get reach 50 goals. The youngest? Eric Lindros, in 1993. He was a few months shy of his 20th birthday.
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