The Philadelphia Flyers returned to Xfinity Mobile Arena for a decisive 4‑1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night, snapping a regulation loss and tightening the knot in their six‑game home stretch.
Game Recap
Philadelphia’s four‑goal outburst was powered by a quartet of scorers: Christian Dvorak, Carl Grundstrom, Noah Cates, and Travis Konecny. The Flyers’ 16‑9‑3 record improved to 2‑2‑0 on the homestand, a swing that steadied the team after a 3‑2 loss to the Avalanche the Sunday before. Dan Vladar, who returned to the crease for the first time in more than a week, stopped 17 of 18 shots to secure his 11th win with the club across 17 starts.
The game’s tempo shifted early. San Jose opened the scoring on its first shot after the Flyers had dominated the first 11‑plus minutes. Dvorak answered just over seven minutes later, and the Flyers outshot the Sharks 16‑3 in the opening period. A high‑sticking penalty by Matvei Michkov in the third period was a turning point that helped the Flyers lock down the win.
Sharks netminder Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 26 of the Flyers’ 29 shots, while the Flyers’ defense and special teams held the Sharks to a single goal.
Key Player Highlights
Carl Grundstrom
Grundstrom’s first goal as a Flyer came against his former club, a moment that underscored the trade that sent the 28‑year‑old winger from San Jose to Philadelphia in the Ryan Ellis deal before the season began. The goal was a redirect of a Nick Seeler shot and gave the Flyers a vital edge.
Travis Konecny
Konecny capped the night with an empty‑netter and added an assist that pushed him to his 500th career NHL point, a milestone that added another feather to his cap.
Noah Cates
Cates delivered a huge goal with just 12 seconds left in the middle stanza, cementing the Flyers’ lead and providing a final flourish to the victory.
Macklin Celebrini
The 2024 first‑overall pick was held scoreless. Celebrini, who entered the game with 43 points (15 goals, 28 assists) – the NHL’s second‑most – was kept off the board behind the Flyers’ tight defense.
Ty Murchison
The 22‑year‑old prospect, a 2021 fifth‑round pick, made his NHL debut on Philadelphia’s third defensive pair. He played solidly alongside Noah Juulsen, helping protect the Flyers’ lead in the third period. “Extremely emotional,” Murchison said Monday after practice, reflecting on the significance of the moment.
Defensive and Coaching Notes
The Flyers’ fourth line, featuring Grundstrom, Rodrigo Abols, and Garnet Hathaway, produced the go‑ahead 2‑1 early in the second period. It came a day after the line had been a hot‑button topic, much to the relief of head coach Rick Tocchet.
Tocchet also commented on Celebrini’s development, noting that he might coach the 19‑year‑old in February as an assistant for Team Canada at the Milan‑Cortina Olympics. “He’s a hockey nerd, the guy comes in great shape, plays a 200‑foot game. He’s just a hell of a player. It’s not just an offensive guy,” Tocchet said at morning skate.
Upper‑body injury concerns lingered for defenseman Cam York, who was out for a second straight game. After missing the last three practices, York took part in the Flyers’ optional morning skate. “I think they’re giving him a little bit more, see where he’s at, a little more pace in his practice. As of now, it’s still day to day, so we’ll see how it goes,” Tocchet said.
Rasmus Ristolainen, 31, was no longer in a non‑contact jersey during Monday’s practice, a sign that he could be inching closer to a season debut later this month. He is recovering from surgery in March on a second triceps tendon rupture.
Looking Ahead
The Flyers will host the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. The matchup will see former Flyers goaltender Carter Hart potentially face his old team after a brief stint with Vegas and a recent legal resolution. The Sharks will return to face Philadelphia again on March 21 at SAP Center.
Key Takeaways
- Flyers win 4‑1 over Sharks, improving home‑stand record to 2‑2‑0.
- Dan Vladar’s 17‑save performance secured his 11th win with the club.
- Grundstrom’s first goal as a Flyer came against his former team.
- Konecny recorded his 500th NHL point with an empty‑netter and an assist.
- Ty Murchison debuted on defense, while Celebrini was held scoreless.
The Flyers’ victory demonstrates their resilience after a recent loss to the Avalanche and sets a positive tone as they prepare for upcoming challenges against the Golden Knights and the Sharks.
