Game 13/84 Recap: Michkov’s Two-Goal Game Not Enough as Flyers Fall to Ducks, 5-4

The Philadelphia Flyers (3-7-3) came out firing against the Anaheim Ducks (5-6-0) on Saturday afternoon, building two separate leads behind a pair of power play goals in the first period. Matvei Michkov scored twice, and Tyson Foerster added the Flyers’ first shorthanded goal of the season, but it was not enough to secure the win. The Ducks rallied from both deficits and ultimately handed the Flyers a 5-4 loss.

1st Period

The Flyers earned the first power-play opportunity of the afternoon at 5:42 when Jackson LaCombe was sent to the box for high-sticking. Philadelphia could not capitalize on the man advantage, but things got a little more interesting as the period progressed.

A little less than 14 minutes into the period, Hunter McDonald delivered a big hit on Sam Colangelo. Colangelo popped right back up and immediately went after McDonald, who largely stood his ground and took the punches, offering nothing more than a shove as he skated away. Apparently unsatisfied with how things had played out, Anaheim’s AJ Greer then skated over to McDonald and dropped the gloves himself.

Greer threw a flurry of punches, although only a couple found their way to McDonald’s helmet. It certainly was not a fight for the ages, but the sequence proved to be a turning point for the Flyers.

The aftermath gave Philadelphia a 5-on-3 power play. McDonald and Greer each received 10-minute misconducts for fighting, while Greer also received an instigator penalty and Colangelo was assessed two minutes for roughing. The Flyers made the most of the opportunity.

After winning the faceoff, Michkov opened the scoring with a power play goal, assisted by Jamie Drysdale and Trevor Zegras. It marked Michkov’s fourth consecutive game with a power play point (3g, 1a), and he made this one look easy. Philadelphia moved the puck around patiently, waiting for an opening before Michkov held onto it, skated into a better shooting position, and fired through traffic. The puck found its way past the three Ducks and two Flyers in front of Lukáš Dostál and into the back of the net.

Just over a minute later, at 15:02, the Flyers struck again.

Porter Martone doubled Philadelphia’s lead with another power play goal, assisted by Travis Sanheim and Zegras. As the puck looked to be leaving the offensive zone, Zegras kept it in play before regaining control and sending it to Sanheim. Sanheim looked like he was about to shoot but instead slipped a quick pass toward Martone, who had snuck into position near the net and finished the play. Two beautiful power play goals gave the Flyers a 2-0 lead.

Anaheim finally earned its first power play at 16:53 when Noah Cates was called for tripping. The Ducks’ advantage did not last long, however, as LaCombe returned to the penalty box at 17:41 for slashing, putting an end to Anaheim’s opportunity.

The Flyers carried their two-goal advantage into the first intermission.

2nd Period

LaCombe continued to have a busy afternoon, picking up his third penalty of the game at 5:48 for interference. This time, the Flyers could not take advantage.

Instead, Anaheim found its way onto the scoreboard at 8:38. Leo Carlsson cut the deficit to one with a goal assisted by Cutter Gauthier. Joseph Woll had gone behind his net to play the puck, with Nick Seeler coming to collect the puck. Gauthier took advantage of their miscommunication, taking the puck away from Seeler and setting up Carlsson to make it a 2-1 game.

Carlsson was sent to the box for tripping at 9:47, giving Philadelphia another opportunity to extend its lead, but the Flyers were unable to convert.

At 13:07, the Ducks tied the game. Tim Washe took the initial shot, and although Woll made the save, Greer collected the rebound and got another attempt away. The puck slid behind Woll and barely crossed the goal line, with the officials reviewing the play before confirming the goal. Tristan Luneau picked up the secondary assist. The game was suddenly tied at two.

Sean Couturier was assessed a roughing penalty at 13:52, giving Anaheim another chance to take control. Instead, the Flyers delivered a much-needed response.

Tyson Foerster scored Philadelphia’s first shorthanded goal of the season, with Seeler earning the assist. Foerster carried the puck up the ice alongside Cates and opted to shoot rather than pass. Despite coming from a somewhat awkward angle, the shot found its way past Dostál and into the net, restoring the Flyers’ lead at 3-2.

Unfortunately, that lead lasted just over a minute. At 16:19, Judd Caulfield tied things up again for Anaheim, with assists from Alex Killorn and Luneau. Woll made the initial save on Caulfield but fell backward as Caulfield continued the play and put the puck into the net, making it a 3-3 game.

Noel Acciari was sent to the box for roughing at 19:17, giving the Ducks a late power play opportunity. Woll came up huge in the closing moments of the period, first stopping Gauthier before making two more impressive saves on him just 10 seconds later.

The Flyers survived the late pressure, and the teams headed into the second intermission tied at three.

3rd Period

The Ducks wasted little time taking their first lead of the afternoon. Exactly two minutes into the period, Luneau scored his third point of the game, carrying the puck into the offensive zone and maintaining possession until he found his shooting opportunity. Travis Mitchell picked up the lone assist as Anaheim took a 4-3 lead.

Jacob Gaucher was called for tripping, and the Ducks used the power play to extend their lead. Beckett Sennecke scored a power play goal with assists from Carlsson and LaCombe. Carlsson sent the puck toward the net, where Sennecke was positioned in front of Woll to redirect it home. After holding two separate leads earlier in the afternoon, the Flyers suddenly found themselves trailing 5-3.

But Philadelphia was not ready to give up just yet. At 8:17, Michkov scored his second goal of the game to bring the Flyers within one. Martone and Cates picked up the assists on a play that started with Michkov carrying the puck into the offensive zone before dropping it back to Cates. Cates made a nice move around a Ducks defender and sent the puck toward the net, creating a scramble in front of Dostál. With bodies crowding the crease and the puck difficult to locate, Michkov found it and buried his second of the afternoon.

The goal made it 5-4, giving the Flyers more than enough time to find an equalizer. Philadelphia pushed for the tying goal as the clock wound down, earning a final power-play opportunity at 19:19 when Sennecke was called for hooking. With the extra attacker and a chance to salvage a point, the Flyers had one last opportunity to pull even.

They could not find the equalizer, however, and the final horn sounded on a 5-4 Ducks victory.

Up Next

The Flyers will host the Columbus Blue Jackets (4-5-0) on Tuesday, October 27, at 7pm/ET.

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