The Philadelphia Flyers halted their longest losing streak of the season with a gritty 2-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on Monday night.
Travis Konecny scored both goals on breakaways, including the decisive shorthanded tally in the third period, to lift the club out of a 0-5-1 spiral that had seen them outscored 31-12.
At a Glance
- Konecny struck twice on breakaways, the second while shorthanded, to secure the 2-1 win.
- Goaltender Samuel Ersson stopped 24 of 25 shots for his best outing of the season.
- The Flyers won in Vegas for the first time since Dec. 10, 2021.
- Why it matters: The victory ends a six-game slide and opens a crucial three-game western swing against playoff-positioned opponents.
Konecny Delivers Under Pressure
Konecny’s first breakaway came in the opening frame and gave Philadelphia an early lead. His second, finished on a shorthanded rush midway through the third, snapped a 1-1 tie and stood as the game-winner. The marker was his 11th shorthanded goal in the last four seasons and his 17th overall this year.
Ersson Finds His Form
Ersson, 26, entered the contest mired in the roughest patch of his NHL tenure. Over his previous three starts he had surrendered 15 goals and carried a career-worst .855 save percentage. Against Vegas he turned aside 24 shots, several of them high-danger chances, to record his first victory since early January.
Special Teams Swing Momentum
Philadelphia’s penalty-kill unit, torched for nine power-play goals during the skid, allowed only one conversion on seven Vegas opportunities. The group also generated the game-winning goal, marking just the second time this season the Flyers scored while shorthanded.
The lone Golden Knights power-play tally came with 32 seconds left in the second period when Tomas Hertl deflected a shot past Ersson to knot the score at 1-1.
Lineup Changes Provide Spark
Forward Bobby Brink returned after missing the last six contests with an upper-body injury. His re-insertion added energy to the middle six and helped the club play its first low-scoring, tight-checking game in nearly two weeks.
Lane Pederson, recalled Sunday from AHL Lehigh Valley, centered the fourth line in place of injured Rodrigo Abols. The 28-year-old appeared in his first NHL game in more than 1,000 days.
Defenseman Nick Seeler contributed a critical second-period breakup of a 2-on-1 and blocked a last-minute shot to preserve the one-goal edge.
Vegas Streak Snapped
The loss ended the Golden Knights’ season-best seven-game win streak. Vegas goaltender Adin Hill stopped 15 of 17 Philadelphia shots, while former Flyer Carter Hart did not dress because of a lower-body injury.
Philadelphia now splits the season series with Vegas after dropping a 3-2 overtime decision last month at the same venue.
Road Ahead
The triumph kicks off a taxing trip through the Western Conference playoff picture. Next up is a Wednesday-night visit to face the Utah Mammoth at 9 p.m. ET, followed by a Friday date with the Vancouver Canucks.
Backup Dan Vladar, placed on injured reserve Monday retroactive to last Wednesday, could be activated for the finale in Vancouver, according to coach Rick Tocchet‘s comments over the weekend. He has missed three games with a lower-body injury.
Key Takeaways
- The Flyers finally played a structured, low-event contest, limiting Vegas to one goal and 25 shots.
- Konecny’s shorthanded breakaway goal provided the decisive margin and showcased his elite anticipation.
- Ersson’s bounce-back performance offers hope that the club’s goaltending can stabilize during the stretch run.
- A healthier lineup, including Brink’s return, restored depth and competitiveness to all four lines.
Philadelphia will look to string together wins for the first time since early January when the trip continues mid-week.
