The Flyers were facing the worst goaltending in the league in terms of save percentage in Ottawa Thursday night, and yet they managed to make them look competent, resulting in Ottawa edging the visiting Flyers 2-1.
The basics
First period: 0:29- Tyson Foerster (Travis Konecny, Sean Couturier), 7:57- Michael Amadio (Claude Giroux, Artem Zub)
Second period: 3:05- Olle Lycksell (Lars Eller, Nick Jensen)
Third period: No scoring
SOG: 22 (PHI) – 33 (OTT)
Some takeaways
Vladar’s valiant effort
With the Flyers looking quite nice when it comes to stopping shots — something unheard of the last two seasons — Philadelphia went to the well again with Dan Vladar for his fifth start in seven games thus far. Vladar was fine early but a ridiculous brain cramp in coverage left former Flyer Claude Giroux sending a pass to a wide open Michael Amadio as Travis Konecny looked on.
#Flyers 1 @ #Senators 1 [P1-12:03]:
— NHL Goal Videos (@NHLGoalsVideo) October 23, 2025
Goal: Michael Amadio (1)
26' Game-Tying Wrister
Assists: C.Giroux (4), A.Zub (3)#LetsGoFlyers #GoSensGo #NHL pic.twitter.com/lSDgNFXVZ4
Ottawa pest Nick Cousins ran into Vladar midway in the first, which caused the Flyers to go on their first power play. But the Flyers later took two undisciplined penalties in the offensive zone, the second by Matvei Michkov. The Senators, quarterbacked by Giroux, had a great chance in the slot but Vladar made a great stop on Shane Pinto. Unfortunately a terrific stop by Vladar early in the second on Olle Lycksell only led to Lycksell scoring Ottawa’s second of the evening.
I'm not surprised Olle Lycksell and Claude Giroux celebrated a goal together tonight.
— Flyers Nation (@FlyersNation) October 24, 2025
2-1 OTT. pic.twitter.com/BXs8ShEeMY
The third? Well that started with Nick Seeler pushing a Sens player into Vladar. Vladar thankfully looked no worse for wear and remained in the game. And the Flyers had the better chances a man down. The Flyers lost this game but through no fault of Vladar, who stopped 31 of 33 for a .938 save percentage, his fifth consecutive game over .900.
Neutral zone miscues
More than a handful of times, the Senators stripped the puck from the Flyers between the bluelines, causing the Senators quick transitions. Those plays put Philadelphia on their heels and more often than not chasing the game. Halfway through regulation Ottawa had 21 shots on goal compared to the dozen by the Flyers. Granted Philadelphia weren’t getting some bounces around the net, but when you outwork your opponent you usually end up getting some of those bounces going your way.
Midway through the game, after a television time out, the Cates line began hitting and pushing the play, tilting the ice towards the Senators end. The fourth line of Nikita Grebenkin, Rodrigo Abols, and Garnet Hathaway started taking the body, building on the previous shift. From there an extended shift by the Flyers nearly had them tie things up. The Flyers finally looked to be taking the play to Ottawa. But on this night, the Flyers didn’t have many instances where two or three crisp tape-to-tape passes were made heading into the offensive zone. Aside from the first shot on goal, nothing came easy.
Quick start
The Flyers got on the board early as Travis Konecny fed Tyson Foerster coming in from the point. Foerster’s wrist shot beat Ottawa’s Linus Ullmark clean for a 1-0 lead. It seemed like the perfect start for Philadelphia playing this one-off road game in October.
Tyson Foerster opened up the scoring just 29 seconds in, 1-0 Flyers.
— Andrew Coté (@acote_88) October 23, 2025
Goal: Foerster (3) pic.twitter.com/lSXFgrwlqu
The idea of getting a quick lead against what is the worst goaltending tandem in terms of save percentage (.823 heading into the Flyers game) worked to the Flyers advantage, setting the tone early. Unfortunately it seemed like Philadelphia were reactive more than proactive for the next 30 minutes of play. They were marginally better in the latter half.
Grebenkin is Grebenkin-ing
Nikita Grebenkin seems to be getting more comfortable as a fine fourth liner with Philadelphia. Grebenkin had two Senators fighting him for the puck behind Ottawa’s net early. But neither one could take it away from him. He’s early in his career but proving he is going to be very hard to get the puck away from. He also intercepted a play during a long shift in the Flyers end, resulting in a much needed change for personnel as he lugged it up ice. Unfortunately later in the play Michkov took a minor in Ottawa’s zone, something that’s a no-no in Tocchet’s book.
Much like the Couturier line, the fourth line didn’t do much on this night. But Grebenkin might have been the best of a bad fourth line.
Power play puttering, sputtering
The first unit on the first power play didn’t do a lot outside of a Jamie Drysdale shot from the point. The second unit saw a broken stick right off the bat and then some sloppy passing in the offensive zone. In short, something you probably saw the previous three seasons. One very low danger slapper from just inside the line isn’t going to cut it.
Late in the second, the Flyers had a 4-on-3 to end the period. The quartet of Konecny, Michkov, Drysdale and Couturier didn’t hit paydirt. The period ended with Konecny yelling in frustration, mirroring the team’s frustration at not taking advantage of the worst goaltending in the league thus far. Philadelphia ended going 0-for-3, something that would’ve been the difference maker in a tight, low-scoring game.
Michkov had some moments
Matvei Michkov had a glorious chance coming out of the penalty box to put Philadelphia in the lead. Unfortunately Michkov’s breakaway ended with Ullmark waiting him out and getting his pad on it. The Flyers also looked to have their second goal but the puck hit the bar and landed into Ullmark, just inches from crossing the line. A video review from Toronto confirmed it didn’t cross the line.
In the second a Jamie Drysdale stick broke up a Senators rush up ice. The puck looked like it was going to Michkov in the slot but again Michkov was unable to put the puck by Ullmark. Overall Michkov looked like he was playing well. At least far better than Konecny and Couturier who had a 27.78 per cent and 35.71 per cent share of the shot attempts five-on-five after 40 minutes. By comparison Michkov had a 73.33 per cent share of shot attempts over two periods.
Zegras quite lucky
Trevor Zegras took a tripping penalty in the third but that might have been the least of his worries. Zegras was grabbing his wrist but wasn’t cut. The Senators player’s skate blade ran over Zegras glove, narrowly missing the forwards hand. The Flyers dodged a huge bullet on that play.
A close call as a skate blade comes near Trevor Zegras' wrist, but no damage was caused. pic.twitter.com/rU6FDkGWtu
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) October 24, 2025
All stats from Natural Stat Trick
