Instant reactions: Trevor Zegras and Matvei Michkov LIGHT IT UP in South Philly

Watch PHLY Flyers Postgame

In a game that started VERY SLEEPY for the Philadelphia Flyers, the dynamic duo of Trevor Zegras and Matvei Michkov put together their best games of the season to power the Flyers to their third straight win, this time defeating Juuse Saros and Filip Forsber’s Nashville Predators.

Dan Vladar returned to the net for the first time in a week and made his presence immediately known, blanking the Preds through 38 minutes, allowing Philly to pick up the pace and establish the lead.

It would have been nice to start a little faster, but this is the game we’ve been waiting for from Michkov, and a continuation of the hot start for Zegras. So who cares about anything else?

First period

Not a ton going on in the first four minutes of this game, with Nashville getting their second shot of the game right around the 16:30 mark, and the Flyers got their first shot/chance with about 15:40 left, and that lead to their first extended shift on offense of the game. The Foerster-Cates-Brink line is just so good at getting play going forward into the o-zone.

After a shift in the D-zone, Owen Tippett creates a 2-on-1 with his speed but elects a cross-ice backhand pass to no avail, and with 10:59 left, shots are 3-2 in favor of the Preds. Both teams eased into this one, but the pace is starting to pick up both ways halfway through the period.

Nashville has picked up a couple shots and chances, and now the Preds are getting a power play on a Jamie Drysdale hook, but not before DAN VLADAR MADE A HUGE DIVING SAVE on a cross-ice chance during the delay. The puck found its way to Steven Stamkos all alone in the right wing circle but Vladar flashed across to rob Stammer of what would’ve been his 584th career goal (and only 2nd of the season).

The Flyguys survive the Predators power play despite a few close calls, and that’s 13 consecutive kills for the PK unit. Time to get a little something going on offense. We’re inside of five minutes and Philly has still only directed two shots on Juuse Saros.

Good work down low by Matvei Michkov to battle two defenders and then eventually get the puck behind the net and attempt to set up Trevor Zegras with a short side chance but the pass eluded Ziggy.

The Flyers are going back to the PK with 2 seconds left in the period, after another big save by Vladar on the delayed call, with Bobby Brink headed to the box for interference. The Preds are cowards if they don’t pull the goalie. They do, 2.3 seconds, and the Preds do nothing with it. Philly will have to kill 1:58 of penalty time to start the second.

Outside of a couple almost-chances for Philly and a couple nice saves for Vladar, kind of a nothing period after two straight entertaining games for the Flyers against the Pens and Isles.

Charlie sums it up well here: https://x.com/charlieo_conn/status/1984043896125681846

Second period

The Preds start the period by icing the puck on the power play, so that’s nice.

Sean Couturier isn’t on the bench to begin the period. He took a puck off his elbow(?) in the first. Something to keep an eye on.

Make it 14 straight successful penalty kills for the Orange & Black.

The Flyers got some possession time and chances after the kill, highlighted by a nifty drop pass to Rodrigo Abols, but Saros saw it the whole way. After 23+ minutes the Flyers have four shots on goal. Nashville came into the night allowing 30 shots/game, eighth most in the NHL.

Meanwhile the Preds pick up their 19th shot of the game with 14:04 left in the second. Luckily, Vladar has been VERY good.

Finally something exciting! Michkov sends Tippett on a breakaway, but Saros stops the attempt in-close. Dammit! But at least it’s a shot, and we’re 1/3 of the way to cashing Tipp’s SOG prop!

Jim Jackson announces Coots will not return as we head to break following some extended zone time and a few chances for the Flyers. They’re up to 8 shots, which is a great improvement from the pace they were on a few minutes ago.

Michkov got a semi-breakaway off the bench, but he was trying to cut to center from the right wing, but Nick Blankenburg had a great angle and forced a rushed backhand opportunity.

But shortly after TREVOR ZEGRAS GETS THE FLYERS ON THE BOARD! Snaps a wrister by Saros off a nice set up from Michkov, who did strong work along the boards to protect the puck and dish it to Z as he trailed into the zone, then walked into down into the high slot for a perfect shooting lane. Great stuff from the dynamic duo.

After a dumb turnover deep in the defensive zone by Tippett, Vladar comes up with a few more saves in traffic to preserve the 1-0 lead.

Make it 2-0 PHILLY after a great shift from the Michkov-Zegras-Tippett line. Michkov finds Drysdale, who’d snuck down low, with a pass from behind the net, and DryGuy the FlyGuy buried it short side. Hell of a game from Michkov tonight, who has made a couple of responsible defensive plays that have helped him get going on offense.

Drysdale’s goal came on his team-high 4th SOG, and was also only the Flyers’ second goal by a defenseman this season. Drysdale is also the only Flyers D-man with a shot on goal through 40 minutes.

The Preds get one back with 1:57 left in the period, after Tippett fails to clear the puck and it bounces into the slot for Matthew Wood to score the first of his NHL career, with a little help from a Nick Seeler deflection. BOOOOOO! Was really feeling a shutout, which I can put out into the world now that it has been spoiled.

A few rough turnovers sullied what was a very strong second half of the period for Philly, but they’re still up 2-1 with 20 minutes to go.

Third period

Nashville is 0-4 when trailing after two periods, so the Flyers need to play smart hockey, get themselves an insurance goal and they’ll get out of here with two points.

Zegras & Michkov got a shift with Garnet Hathaway early in the period and created a few chances, but nothing doing.

Vladar has had to make some big save in tight in the first five or six minutes of the third, but the Flyers got some great chances around Saros’ crease and eventually earned a PECOOOOOOOO Power Play with 13:03 left.

ZEGRAS SCORES RIGHT AWAY! Ziggy nets his second of the game on a one-timer from the top of the right circle on a feed from Cam York after a Noah Cates faceoff win. HELL YEAH! 3-1, good guys.

The Flyers are having a little trouble controlling pucks and breaking them out clean on the defensive end, but Vladar is still closing the door and preserving the two-goal lead.

Noah Cates and Eric Haula are both headed to the box following a scrum in front with 5:43 left, so we’ll get some late 4-on-4. No Coots or Cates is going to be a challenge with Nashville pressing. Zegras loses the first faceoff in the D-zone, but made up for it with a defensive play and then Vladar cleaned it up with a glove save. No big deal for Philly’s #1 goalie.

With 4:30 left, Andrew Brunette elects to pull Saros and try to get a minute or so of 5-on-4 time. After yet another big save by Vladar on Stamkos, York clears the puck out, finding Konecny who skates the puck down ice and eventually finds the empty net to make it 4-1.

Flyers win, and it’s their first regulation W in 10 days. WOOOOOOO!

Watch PHLY Flyers Postgame