> At a Glance
> – Trevor Zegras scored two goals against his former team in a 5-2 Flyers victory
> – Philadelphia has now outscored Anaheim 11-2 in Cutter Gauthier’s two returns
> – Flyers move into third place in Metropolitan Division at season’s halfway point
> – Why it matters: The win caps a dramatic storyline as two ex-Ducks face their former club
Trevor Zegras delivered a statement performance Tuesday night, scoring twice to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 5-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks-his first game against the team that traded him last summer.
Zegras’ Emotional Night
The 24-year-old center admitted he had circled this date on his calendar. “It was a tough ending with my time there,” Zegras said. “I had been thinking about this game for a long time.”
His second goal came on the power play and gave Philadelphia a 2-1 lead they would never relinquish. The energetic crowd at Xfinity Mobile Arena erupted as Zegras celebrated with extra emotion.
Rick Tocchet praised his player’s technique:
> “That’s what Trev does, man, those are two good one-timers. [Leon] Draisaitl’s the best in the business [at those from the angle], it looked a little Draisaitl-ish there.”
Supporting Cast Steps Up
Cam York, Travis Sanheim and Nikita Grebenkin also scored for Philadelphia. Grebenkin’s empty-netter sealed the victory late in the third period.
Sean Couturier emphasized the team won’t rest on its improved standing:
> “We don’t want to be satisfied here. We’ve got to keep pushing, take it to another level.”
The Flyers improved to 22-12-7 at the season’s halfway point-a significant jump from last year’s 17-19-5 mark at the same stage.
Gauthier’s Return Marred by Loss
Cutter Gauthier, traded nearly two years ago after declining to sign with Philadelphia, faced loud boos from the home crowd. Though he opened the scoring with a first-period power-play goal, the Flyers dominated thereafter.
Philadelphia has now outscored Anaheim 11-2 in Gauthier’s two career visits since the trade.
Injury Concerns Mount
The victory came at a cost as two Flyers left with injuries:
- Bobby Brink exited after a hard hit from Jansen Harkins just 2:38 into the game
- Jamie Drysdale was injured by Ross Johnston in the second period, prompting a game misconduct for the Ducks forward
Noah Cates defended Brink by fighting Harkins immediately after the hit.
Key Takeaways
- Zegras now has 41 points in 41 games with Philadelphia
- The Flyers have won seven straight against Anaheim
- Philadelphia faces the Ducks again March 18 in Anaheim
- The team played without rookie Matvei Michkov, who took a puck to his foot last weekend
Tuesday’s win opened a four-game homestand for the surging Flyers, who now sit third in the Metropolitan Division as they eye a playoff berth.
