The Philadelphia Flyers (4-3-1) found a way to win. They hung around and, in a shootout, snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. At one point, the New York Islanders (4-3-1) led the game, 2-0, before the Flyers clawed back to tie the score on two separate occasions.
Whether at home or at Xfinity Mobile Arena, this was an exciting game to watch. This battle between two Metropolitan Division rivals featured scoring, fights, timely goaltending, and everything in between. After regulation and overtime, the Flyers won in a shootout, 4-3.
Trevor Zegras and Samuel Ersson were the stars of the show. Zegras tallied three points (2G, 1A) before scoring in the shootout. Ersson battled through some adversity, giving up a rough shorthanded goal to Simon Holmström to start. However, when it counted most, Ersson made several game-saving stops for the Flyers to give them a chance to win.
“He’s [Trevor Zegras] been working on his game since training camp. Like I said; spending time in the video rooms, grabbing a coach here and there, watching the games, and asking questions. He delivered tonight. There’s some high-end moments in a game. We have to get used to it because there seems like every game is going to be tight, and a guy like him can make those big plays for us, which he did.” – Rick Tocchet; 10/25/2025
First Period
Shots: 8-4, Flyers
Score: 1-0, Islanders
Overall, the Flyers played with more jump in the first period, outshooting the Islanders. Cam York asserted himself in the offensive zone, but missed wide left from the slot. Travis Sanheim served a minor penalty for holding. To not much surprise, the Flyers killed their first penalty of the game, and would go on the power play shortly after.
However, the Flyers surrendered a shorthanded goal with Emil Heineman serving a minor penalty for interference. Matvei Michkov had a rough first period, turning the puck over. He forced a pass in a crowd to Owen Tippett, who was swarmed. Holmström recovered the puck in the slot, jumped on a rush with Jean-Gabriel Pageau, and ripped the puck stick side, 1-0, with 10:09 remaining in the first period. Of the three goals surrendered by Ersson, this is the one he probably wanted back.
“I think his [Matvei Michkov] game’s coming [in] the last two, three [games]. It’s the blatant ones [turnovers]; I know he’s trying to go inside, but after you make the play, you got to help out back. I think he delays; waits to see if we’re going to get or not. Things like that, we just got to get out of his game. But the creativity part, he made a hell of a play on the rush. Most guys dump it in. He waited and he hits Trevor [Trevor Zegras]. That’s a high-end play. That’s what we want from him, but there’s just some stuff he’s got to clean up. He’s just got to be careful, that’s all. We don’t want to take the stick out of his hand. We want him to be creative.” – Rick Tocchet; 10/25/2025
Instead of sagging, the Flyers pushed forward. Garnett Hathaway dropped the gloves later with Scott Mayfield, met with a roaring crowd at the Xfinity Mobile Arena. Nothing else would come of this period, but the Flyers made it clear they weren’t going down without a fight.
Second Period
Shots: 17-16, Islanders
Score: 2-1, Islanders
Shortly after, Anthony Duclair grew the lead, 2-0, with 13:45 remaining in the second period. Noah Juulsen tried to move the puck to Jamie Drysdale to create space in their defensive zone behind Ersson, but the puck deflected into the official instead. Marshall Warren notched his first NHL point, an assist, finding Duclair near the post.
That didn’t kill the Flyers’ confidence. A two-goal deficit wouldn’t have absolved them, but that particular sequence was deflating. The game could’ve spiraled out of control, but Zegras had no intentions of slowing down his hot start. Along the blue line, from the opposite wing, Michkov located Zegras in space. Christian Dvorak cut underneath Casey Cizikas, accepting a beautiful, no-look pass from Zegras to backhand in the open net, 2-1, with 9:31 remaining in the second period.
Later, Dvorak, with a “giveth, taketh” moment, served a minor penalty for slashing. Again, the Flyers were successful on the penalty kill. The Islanders hemmed the Flyers in their defensive zone, but couldn’t extend their lead.
Third Period
Shots: 25-22, Flyers
Score: 3-3
Early in the third period, Zegras knotted the game, 2-2, with 18:06 remaining in regulation. Dvorak returned the favor to Zegras on the scoring play. Zegras displayed his instinct with the puck, knowing where he wanted to place his shot before the puck touched the tape.
Shootout
Score: 4-3, Flyers
Round 1: Brink ❌, Horvat ❌
Round 2: Zegras ✅, Holmström ✅
Round 3: Michkov ✅, Duclair ❌
Michkov secured the game-winner in the shootout as Zegras remained smoking hot, making Sorokin bite, exposing the five-hole.
Up Next
Next, the Philadelphia Flyers host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday, October 28th. The opening faceoff is scheduled for 6pm/ET.
