The Flyers went into Edmonton Tuesday night to see a winless Oilers team with three goals scored across three games. The Oilers scored four on this night, including one in overtime to beat Philadelphia 4-3.
The basics
First period: 4:47 — Matvei Michkov (Owen Tippett) (PPG), 9:21 — Matvei Michkov (Morgan Frost, Travis Konecny) (PPG)
Second period: 6:26 — Adam Henrique (Mattias Janmark, Brett Kulak), 14:01 — Connor Brown (Jeff Skinner, Darnell Nurse), 19:37 — Bobby Brink (Egor Zamula, Joel Farabee)
Third period: 16:18 — Evan Bouchard (Connor McDavid, Leon Draisatl)
Overtime: 0:56 — Leon Draisatl (Connor McDavid)
SOG: 30 (PHI) — 33 (EDM)
Some takeaways
Power play pretty, pretty good
After a too many men on the ice call against the Oilers, the Flyers went to work and looked to have their first of the night and more importantly, Matvei Michkov’s first National Hockey League goal. After officials ruled it crossed the line, a ridiculously lengthy review for goalie interference ruled it was a good goal. The Oilers were then assessed a bench minor for being wrong on Michkov’s goal. Nothing happened on that one, but a dumb Corey Perry penalty on Scott Laughton away from the play resulted in another man advantage and, yes, you’re reading this correctly, another power play goal! Michkov on a tight angle shot from the corner beat Stuart Skinner clean to make it two Michkov goals and two power play goals.
It’s also becoming apparent that the Flyers’ heatmap will have a nice warm spot at one corner of the opponent’s net thanks to Michkov driving to the net repeatedly, crosschecks or punches after the whistle be damned!
For those keeping track, that’s four power play goals in eight periods of hockey. It took them eight games last season to reach four power play goals.
Luchanko back
The Flyers starting line featured Jett Luchanko facing off against Connor McDavid. Up against the best player in the NHL is an arduous task at the best of times. When you’re one whole game into your NHL career, it’s, well … daunting. But Luchanko wasn’t starstruck as his line of Tyson Foerster and Travis Konecny got the puck away from Sam Ersson’s end quickly. On the second power play he also made a great cross ice pass but no great scoring chance came of it.
Although showing a clean sheet after twenty minutes (5:34 time on ice), Luchanko bent at times but didn’t break with a 37.5 CF% in the first period in all situations. Unfortunately he took a bad high sticking penalty behind the Oilers’ net. But he was on the ice for the go-ahead goal late in the second. It appeared at first as though he may have scored his first NHL goal, but the puck was deflected by the Oilers defenseman, leaving Bobby Brink with his first of the year. He had another great chance with seven minutes left but was denied by Skinner as the hits started being thrown by both sides (Luchanko finished the night with two hits).
Tippett more noticeable
Owen Tippett looked a bit lost his first two games but seemed to be regaining his game against the Oilers. After assisting on Michkov’s opening goal, Tippett was going hard to the net, tussling with Mattias Ekholm after the whistle behind the Oilers’ net. He also showed some flashes of speed on the fourth Flyers man advantage of the first and again in the second, flying around after a television timeout but not able to get a shot on goal. A great chance early in the third close in on Skinner didn’t go.
It’s still not the start you’d love to see from Tippett. Yes, it’s only three games but it would be nice for him to have at least one goal. However, this has been his best showing on the season-opening trip out West, and maybe it’s something he can build on when the Flyers close out the trek in Seattle.
Ersson keeps things rather tidy
Sam Ersson didn’t get much work in the first period with the Oilers’ first power play looking a bit dangerous. Fortunately he was up to the task and held his own as the Oilers ramped up their game after a disallowed goal Edmonton thought they had scored on. He also made a key save late in the first, getting a glove on a shot on Evan Bouchard and stoned Darnell Nurse early in the second to keep the Edmonton off the board.
After the Oilers scored to cut the deficit in half, Edmonton began gaining a bit of momentum, but Ersson kept the Flyers in front, getting some help from the posts at times. Bailing out Ryan Poehling who made a horrible giveaway midway through the second was another key moment. But despite looking good, the Flyers squandered a two-goal lead after Connor Brown beat Ersson on a puck that a few Flyers including Poehling had a chance to get out.
Team defense versus the two you-know-who’s
Edmonton rolled everything into one basket to start the game as McDavid, Leon Draisatl and Zach Hyman were the Oilers’ top line. The Flyers did a great job in the opening twenty limiting the Oilers, but having four power plays of their own would help that along. Meanwhile, the simple plays in their own zone to get the pucks out of harm’s way were the norm, not the exception. Aside from a few flubs, including one by Rasmus Ristolainen in the first that Ersson was quick to pounce on, the big line didn’t look that big after the first.
Even on the penalty kill, they did a solid job keeping the great chances to a mininum, getting timely saves from Ersson when not getting some timely blocks from the various units, particularly Garnet Hathaway who took some cannons including one by Evan Bouchard.
More Michkov? Why not!
As mentioned earlier Michkov scored the opening two goals on the power play but was always doing something to create offence. Although knocked on his backside early in the second, he looked no worse for wear. He was definitely involved, including tussling with Nurse despite giving a few inches (well, several) and a few pounds (again several) to the Oilers blueliner. Seconds later he got a great pass from Tippett and was tossed down by Bouchard for a 40-second two-man advantage late in the second. After 40 minutes he had almost the identical amount of ice time (11:04) as Luchanko (11:09).
If that wasn’t enough, he managed to block a shot with just over four minutes left. Shortly thereafter the Oilers tied it up 3-3 with the Oilers’ top line finally doing some damage. In overtime, after what looked like a missed call on McDavid putting Sanheim into the boards, the Oilers rushed up the ice with Draisatl beating a rather helpless looking Ersson for the winner.
Oh, and I didn’t forget the fights
After Skinner put his shoulder into Sean Couturier, the Flyers captain fought Troy Stecher and more than held his own against the smaller Oiler skater. Seconds later, Corey Perry and Joel Farabee dropped the gloves for another bout that was rather even.
