Monday night saw the Philadelphia Flyers secure a 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks at Xfinity Mobile Arena, propelling the team into second place in the Metropolitan Division. The win was highlighted by Nikita Grebenkin’s early goal and a series of key plays that kept the Flyers in control from the second period onward.
Game Recap
The Flyers opened the scoring in the second period when Grebenkin not only netted the first goal but also set up Carl Grundstrom for a third-period marker. Less than two minutes after Grundstrom’s goal, Christian Dvorak added a third, making the score 3-0. Dvorak later returned to the lineup after missing a game in New York with a lower-body injury.
Key Performances
Grebenkin’s early effort earned praise from the coaching staff. Dvorak said of Grebenkin, “He was flying around, he was everywhere, making great plays,” and added, “That’s huge for the team.”
When the Canucks finally answered with a goal from Max Sasson in the third period, the Flyers answered with a highlight-reel goal from Owen Tippett. Rick Tocchet described the play: “That was a hell of a goal,” he said. “When he gets engaged, that’s when you know he’s playing. He has got to get engaged right from the start because he can do those things.”
Matvei Michkov capped the night with an empty-netter, snapping a 10-game goal-scoring drought. The Flyers’ netminder, Dan Vladar, was back in goal after missing the previous night’s shootout loss to the Rangers due to an upper-body injury. Vladar made 23 saves on 25 shots, the 14th time he has allowed two or fewer goals in 21 starts.
Defensive standout Emil Andrae contributed an assist, his 10th point of the season, after Grebenkin redirected an Andrae shot late in the second period. “They call it bucket plays – when there’s no play and he’ll keep it, it takes a lot of courage,” Tocchet commented. “A lot of D will just get rid of it and give it to somebody. But he’ll hold it in his feet, let the coverage come to him and that’s a big play, instead of just throwing pucks away.”
Coaching Insights
Tocchet emphasized the collective effort, saying, “Vladdy was there for us when we needed him,” and adding, “then I thought all four lines contributed tonight.” He also reflected on the team’s resilience: “We’ve got to earn what we earn,” the head coach said. “We’re not a perfect team, but there’s a lot of fight. … You’ve got to give these guys credit, they don’t give up.”
Tippett, who scored his 11th goal of the season on a career-high 10 shots on goal, noted the long road ahead. “There’s still tons of season left and a lot of games to be played,” he said. “I think we can take the positives from it, but we’ve still got a long way to go. We have what happened a couple of years ago on our mind, too.”
Looking Ahead
The Flyers will face the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night at 9 p.m. ET on TNT for their final game before the NHL holiday break, which runs Wednesday through Friday. The team will also return to Rogers Arena to play the Canucks again in a little over a week, marking the return of Tocchet to Vancouver where he spent parts of the last three seasons as head coach.
Key Takeaways
- Flyers move to second place in the Metropolitan Division with a 5-2 win over the Canucks.
- Nikita Grebenkin’s early goal and assist were pivotal, earning praise from Christian Dvorak.
- Dan Vladar returned to the net, making 23 saves on 25 shots, and the team’s collective effort was highlighted by coach Rick Tocchet.
The Flyers’ victory demonstrates their growing momentum, and the team looks forward to maintaining their performance as the season progresses toward the playoffs.
