It was a storybook ending Sunday afternoon. After a tight-checking, low-scoring battle, Porter Martone scored his first National Hockey League goal in overtime, leading the Flyers to a 2-1 win and moving into the third seed of the Metropolitan Division.
The basics
First period: 4:19- Christian Dvorak (Porter Martone, Rasmus Ristolainen)
Second period: No scoring
Third period: 0:35- Pavel Zacha (Casey Mittelstadt, David Pastrnak) (PPG)
Overtime: 2:31- Porter Martone (Christian Dvorak, Trevor Zegras) (PPG)
SOG: 31 (PHI) – 19 (BOS)
Some takeaways
Rise to the occasion? Yes
With the four games yesterday involving teams in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt all losing in regulation, the Flyers saw their chances rise marginally. And earlier Sunday, the Wild blew a lead against Detroit before winning 5-4 in regulation. Five games. Five positive outcomes. Of course none of that would matter if Philadelphia didn’t take care of business Sunday. Facing Joonas Korpisalo and the Bruins (who played yesterday), the Flyers didn’t hit the ground running. But neither did Boston, playing their third game in four days. The game wasn’t teeming with up-and-down, odd-man rushes. Instead it resembled much of what the Flyers have done the last few weeks. Keep it simple, keep it tight, and keep the clock running as much as possible.
For the most part, that was the blueprint. And they followed it to the letter. Rarely on the wrong end of a scoring chance, and often breaking things up with good sticks and better body positioning, Philadelphia held their own for the first 40 minutes. But after Boston scored early, it gave the Bruins some life. The Flyers did a good job standing up on the blueline and breaking things up. Over the course of 60 minutes, they effectively held Boston to the outside. It wasn’t a work of art. But two points is two points.
Martone mania
He didn’t score the opening goal, but my did winger Porter Martone make a nice pass off the boards to Christian Dvorak, earning the primary assist on a great wrist shot from Dvorak to make it 1-0. Dvorak and Travis Konecny were on a two-on-one but Dvorak shot it high on the glove side to bury the opportunity.
A beautiful touch pass by Porter Martone sprung Christian Dvorak on a 2-on-1 the other way, 1-0 Flyers.
— Andrew Coté (@acote_88) April 5, 2026
Goal: Dvorak (17) pic.twitter.com/aMAXFIMJFo
Martone also got into a little scrum on his next shift but nothing materialized from it. It clear from just four games that Martone belongs. He nearly had his first on a lovely feed from Konecny but rifled it wide. In the second Martone and Matvei Michkov were together on the power play. Possibly a sign of the future. But for now it didn’t amount to too much. Martone lost his skate blade but got back to the bench with no harm done. As it was on the first, the Flyers couldn’t get much going on their second power play. He also made the lone good play on Philadelphia’s third power play which came from Nikita Zadorov tossing his stick on the ice from the bench.
Through 40 minutes Martone’s expected goals percentage was 72.90 and was the proud daddy to a Corsi For percentage of 65 per cent. He saved his best for the third, with a couple of rockets that Korpisalo just got his pad on. After missing on his chance, he came back and made a terrific defensive play that foiled Boston’s chance. And he was clutch in the extra session (more on that later).
Vladar valiant effort
Although Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet wasn’t confirming any lineup changes after the morning skate, he did acknowledge Dan Vladar would get the nod. Vladar, who was great against the Islanders in the second period and for the entire third period, had a very uneventful first 10 minutes with just two shots to contend with. The biggest chance was following a giveaway by Luke Glendening. The miscue led to Morgan Geekie having a prime opportunity but whiffed on it. While there weren’t many shots, the keeper made a great play with a poke check on David Pastrnak.
Vladar just got his pad on a shot through traffic and then stoned Pastrnak again. The Flyers were doing a solid job in front of him, and he was perfect heading into the second intermission. But he gave up an early one on the power play as Pavel Zacha beat a sprawling Flyers goalie after Pastrnak’s shot just barely missed the far post. Vladar might have been able to make the glove save, but the power of Pastrnak’s howitzer was too much for the Flyers goaltender.
Pavel Zacha on the PP.
— Flyers Nation (@FlyersNation) April 5, 2026
1-1 now. #Flyers pic.twitter.com/a1jf6hFBHB
Michkov gets a much needed Bump
Earning a goal and two assists against the Islanders on Friday, winger Matvei Michkov might have found some quick chemistry with linemate Alex Bump. So, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The duo were together again with Noah Cates between them. They didn’t get much going in the first period, but then again neither side truly did, happy to keep things extremely tight-checking and a lot of play in the neutral zone. Michkov nearly had a similar goal to the one he scored Friday. The attempt to bounce the puck off the back of Korpisalo was foiled.
Perhaps the outlier (at least in the first period) was Michkov getting 5:12 of ice time, and his shifts averaging 44 seconds per. It was roughly in the same ballpark as Trevor Zegras, Porter Martone, and Owen Tippett who all averaged between five to six minutes of action. Michkov also had a great look in the middle of the ice in the second but hit iron. And he was also quite responsible away from the puck, covering for Email Andrae who made an end-to-end rush in the second.
Michkov took an undisciplined penalty in the second but ended up taking Pastrnak off the ice also for some four-on-four action. Pastrnak nearly had a breakaway when they both exited the box but the puck was beyond his reach. In short, Michkov was engaged, driving to the net when not driving the Bruins slowly but steadily bonkers. As for Bump, he had some good shifts in the third and drove the net.
Disciplined, for the most part
Charlie McAvoy and Sean Couturier got into it to end the first period. McAvoy delivered a shot right on the kisser to the Flyers captain, who simply did the wise thing and skated away. Philadelphia started the second period on the power play with Boston’s best defenseman in the box. The Flyers did nothing on the power play except kill two minutes off the clock. Meanwhile the Flyers managed to keep it clean, not really giving the Bruins the myriad of scrums and physicality they thrive on. It wasn’t until late in the second when Carl Grundstrom took an interference minor. However, that bite them hard as Zacha socred the game-tying goal.
It’s been a broken record all season. Yet, for a team that can’t buy a power play goal, you can’t give them up either on the other end. The Bruins had one chance and buried it. The Flyers had three and came up empty each time. They should’ve had a fourth power play but a trip on Owen Tippett in the dying minutes didn’t get called. But there was more to come.
Sanheim quietly remaining a horse
Travis Sanheim led all Flyers in all situations with 15:54 of ice time after two periods. And had a Corsi For over 55 per cent through that time. He and Rasmus Ristolainen have been stallions the last few weeks, often easily eating up 25 minutes a game or more if the need arises. Sanheim hasn’t had much time on the power play of late, leaving that more and more for Drysdale and Ristolainen. But five-on-five, he’s often the guy getting the hardest minutes against the opponent’s best. Overall Sanheim had 25:52 of ice time with two shots on goal.
Overtime….Porter-TIME!
The Flyers avoided a heartbreaking loss in regulation and got the point, moving them for the time being into a playoff spot. In overtime the Flyers had a two-on-one when Tyson Foerster fed Sanheim but he couldn’t cash in. He did a great job stalling with the puck as two Flyers got their change in for fresh players.
Once again, the officiating seemed to avoid making a proper call in overtime. Although a Flyers power play came after a Christian Dvorak chance, to many it looked like a penalty shot should’ve been called. Regardless, for the fourth time this afternoon, the Flyers went to the man advantage. Make that a two-man advantage (five-on-three) for nearly two minutes.
After setting things up, the Flyers took the puck down low. After a scramble, Porter Martone scored his first National Hockey League goal, an overtime winner. You couldn’t write it any better. A Flyers win, and now the third seed in the Metropolitan.
PORTER MARTONE'S FIRST NHL GOAL IS THE @ENERGIZER OVERTIME WINNER! 🚨 pic.twitter.com/FixjAo1SST
— NHL (@NHL) April 5, 2026
