The Philadelphia Flyers took down the juggernaut Winnipeg Jets by a score of 2-1 in the shootout Saturday night at Canada Life Centre, and their pair of Russian rookies — Ivan Fedotov and Matvei Michkov — were the stars of the show.
Fedotov, a 28-year-old first-year NHLer, put together his best performance of the season, turning aside all but one of the Jets’ 30 shots on goal and stopping all three Winnipeg skaters in the shootout to earn the fifth win of his career.
But as strong as Fedotov’s performance was, it was Michkov’s nasty work in the shootout that sent social media into a frenzy.
Michkov took the ice as the Flyers’ second shooter in the miniature skills competition and totally undressed Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck — widely regarded as the top goalie on the planet.
Michkov gathered the puck at center ice, swung wide toward the right faceoff circle to approach Hellebuyck on his forehand, and deeked him out of his skates before roofing a disgusting backhander over Hellebuyck’s extended pad to light the lamp.
For the record, Hellebuyck is the NHL’s reigning Vezina Trophy winner.
The Flyers’ prized 20-year-old rookie has shown off his high-end skill numerous times throughout the season, but this was a complete spectacle.
The Magic Man does it again. 🪄#PHIVsWPG | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/BtbI7ZR2N3
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 2, 2025
Unfortunately, Michkov’s shootout marker doesn’t technically count as a point on the scoresheet. But for all intents and purposes, it essentially served as the game-winning goal in what turned out to be a thriller north of the border.
Even without registering a point in Winnipeg, Michkov still leads all rookies with 19 goals on the season and trails only Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson for the lead in points scored by rookies. He’s logged three goals and five assists in his last four games, helping him earn Rookie of the Month honors for the month of February.
