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Takeaways: Flyers start slow but end up doubling Vancouver in a 6-3 road victory

The Flyers allowed the opening goal but fared well the rest of the way in a 6-3 win over the host Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night.

Posted on by Jason MacNeil
Dec 30, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Max Sasson (63) stick checks Philadelphia Flyers forward Carl Grundstrom (91) in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

The Flyers were late to the dance, but they put in the work necessary to earn a 6-3 win over the host Vancouver Canucks. Philadelphia split their first two games of the post-Christmas West Coast swing and look to get their second win Wednesday night against Calgary.

The basics

First period: 3:45 – David Kampf (Drew O’Connor, Marcus Pettersson), 12:02 – Noah Cates (Matvei Michkov, Bobby Brink)
Second period: 3:40 – Carl Grundstrom (Nikita Grebenkin, Travis Sanheim), 16:20 – Travis Konecny (Jamie Drysdale, Trevor Zegras)
Third period: 1:08 – Drew O’Connor (David Kampf), 1:34 – Bobby Brink (Matvei Michkov, Noah Cates), 17:19 – Owen Tippett (Rodrigo Abols) (SHG), 18:16 – Tom Willander (Unassisted), 19:23 – Christian Dvorak (Trevor Zegras, Travis Konecny)
SOG: 33 (PHI) – 35 (VAN)

Some takeaways

Huge matchup: Grundstrom versus Karlsson

Vancouver’s fourth-line winger Linus Karlsson has scored a few goals this month, as has Flyers fourth-line winger Carl Grundstrom. It’s strange to see two of the hotter snipers for both teams on the fourth line, but there you have it. However, in the second period, after a long shift by Vancouver who have the long change, Grundstrom picked up a loose puck deep and roofed the puck over Demko to put Philadelphia ahead 2-1. The goal was Grundstrom’s 50th of his career and seventh of the year, once again putting some punch into the fourth line.

In an insane coincidence, the game’s first three goals were all scored by players who had scored their 50th goal in their respective NHL careers. Grundstrom finished with the one goal in 13:39 of ice time while Karlsson was a minus-2 with no points in 17:22 of action.

Barkey continues to impress

Denver Barkey lost his stick in the first period but made a play that helped get the Flyers a huge clear. In the second he delivered a fantastic pass to Sean Couturier who forced Demko to make a big save. What’s clear is that the youngster is taking everything in stride and rarely looking like a fish out of water.

Barkey looked like everything Jamie Drysdale wasn’t on this night. Drysdale, who had a lone assist on the night, had a rather rough game. He was pushed back on Vancouver’s opening goal and nearly making a brain cramp in the third when, with no stick, he finally booted the puck behind the net and away from an oncoming Canuck forward. As if that wasn’t enough, he also broke his stick on another scoring chance. Hopefully Drysdale has a better evening Wednesday night against Calgary.

Tippett tossing weight around

When the Flyers appeared to be in quicksand, Owen Tippett was throwing his body around. And he delivered a few hard hits, including one on Pierre Oliver Joseph that sent him on his backside. The winger, who woke up far quicker than any other Flyer, seemed to drag Philadelphia into the fight, resulting in a far better last 10 minutes of the first period than the first 10. Vancouver still outshot the Flyers 10-5 after 20 minutes, but Philadelphia looked like they were no longer hitting the snooze button.

Although he was -1 after the first, he was tied with Grundstrom with three hits apiece. Tippett also ran into Demko midway through the second but neither party were hurt in the collision. The winger scored an empty-net goal which was also a short-handed tally which made it a 5-2 game.

Konecny and Zegras keep chugging along

Travis Konecny continues to keep motoring along, not really looking like he’s lighting the world aflame but just being consistent. Late in the second period, Konecny took a great pass from Jamie Drysdale and didn’t get the initial shot in. However, Konecny dove and got enough of the puck to lift it high over Demko to make it a 3-1 game.

Zegras — who had his point streak stopped against Seattle — started another one with a secondary assist on Konecny’s goal, giving Zegras 38 points in this, the team’s 38th game of the year. The momentum continued as Philadelphia — once outshot 10-0 to start the game, was outshooting the Canucks 22-9 the rest of the first two periods. The shots mirrored the Expected Goals For percentages: 28.29 percent for Philadelphia in the first period, but 70.62 percent in the second.

Both players ended up with a pair of points, both getting assists on a late empty-netter by Christian Dvorak which made it a 6-3 game.

Seeler decisions Kane

After taking a hit from Evander Kane, Flyers defenseman Nick Seeler didn’t take too kindly to it. The two began a fight that saw Seeler hitting Kane far more than the Vancouver winger who fell to the ice. Not an ideal start to go with five blueliners for five minutes just two minutes in, but Philadelphia was able to weather the storm somewhat. Unfortunately, because play continued, the penalty to Seeler was more like eight to nine minutes.

Good start? (Expletive) no!

The Flyers started with the line of Christian Dvorak with Travis Konecny and Trevor Zegras on either side of him. After backing in on the first shot on goal that narrowly missed Flyers keeper Dan Vladar’s glove side, Travis Sanheim had a chance that didn’t connect. Vancouver, who played Monday, looked far more ready than Philadelphia, getting the opening four shots. The first real chance was a two-on-one with defenseman Emil Andrae and Konecny. Andrae got a little too cute with the puck, opting to pass and missing a possible scoring chance. Minutes later the Flyers kept looking lethargic and it bit them as David Kampf gave Vancouver a 1-0 lead. That makes it 26 times in 38 games Flyers didn’t score first. Brutal.

Tocchet video tribute

The Canucks created a video tribute for Tocchet. But it should have been simultaneous with the coach absolutely ripping his team for their lack of effort against a team that hasn’t been dominating the league all season. Through 11 minutes, Vladar and Ersson had as many shots combined as the other 18 skaters. Having said all that, Christian Dvorak nearly tied it up after finding a huge, juicy rebound that just missed the net. Seconds later, the Flyers tied things up as Noah Cates received a nice pass from Matvei Michkov (who made a great play to start the scoring chance) to make it 1-1, beating Thatcher Demko on the glove side.

Speaking of Michkov, he nearly put Philadelphia ahead early in the second, but Demko was able to stop the shot heading for his five-hole. And with just over four minutes in the second, Michkov again had a great chance, shielding the puck from the Vancouver defender but unable to beat the Canucks goalie and give Philadelphia an important insurance goal. The Mad Russian was left shaking his head but it’s chances like that which Michkov wasn’t getting at all earlier in the season. Baby steps, but heading in the right direction.

In the third, after Vancouver narrowed it to 3-2, Michkov and Brink ended up on a two-on-one. Michkov made a great pass to Brink who tapped it into the open net for a terrific response, once again giving Philadelphia a two-goal lead. It marked his first multi-point game since Dec. 3 when he registered a pair of assists against Buffalo. And, in keeping with the theme of the evening, it marked the 50th career assist for Michkov in the National Hockey League.

All stats courtesy NHL.com and Natural Stat Trick

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