PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia Flyers (2-6-3) continue to build off their Saturday win with their 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche (5-3-1) on Monday at Xfinity Mobile Arena in South Philly.
Matvei Michkov and Noel Acciari scored for the Flyers. Martin Necas and TJ Hughes scored for the Avalanche
The first period got off to a slow start for both teams as defenses limited the ability to create. Both goalies made easy work of the shots taken, keeping it scoreless early. Then, a bench minor gave the Flyers the first power play of the game, which they took advantage of, going up early. The Avalanche did not look great to start the game, but the Flyers looked good.
Colorado turned up the intensity in the 2nd period, looking much more like the Avalanche team that everyone has come to know. They eventually got on the board, but it was not until after the Flyers extended their lead. Despite the much, much better effort from Colorado in the second period, the Flyers went into the second intermission with what would become their 4th 3rd-period lead of the season.
The third period started with a big, early power-play opportunity for the Avalanche, but the Flyers were able to kill it off. Later on in the first half of the period, Philly picked up a big-time insurance goal, putting them in prime position to close the game out. The Avalanche brought the game within one, but the Flyers were able to close out the 3-2 victory.
Here’s how we got to the final score.
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Michkov Strikes on the Flyers Power Play, Again
The game got off to a pretty slow start. It wasn’t just for the Flyers, but the Avalanche as well. Both teams were struggling to get much or any real offense going.
Joseph Woll was handling what chances were coming his way, but the Flyers’ defense did a good job limiting what the Avalanche could do. It was a good start for the Flyers defensivley, but the same was happening to them on the other end.
The game finally had its first real threat when the Avalanche were called for a bench minor, too many men on the ice. Philly had the first power play chance of the game, and made quick work of it.
Trevor Zegras (3) fired a shot on goal, which deflected off Denver Barkey (3) and right to Matvei Michkov (5) for the easy power-play goal. The Avalanche did challenge the score because Porter Martone did make contact with goalie Mackenzie Blackwood, but after a long review, they came to the conclusion that he was pushed into the goalie by Avs defenseman Josh Manson.
So, the Flyers got a second power play following the failed challenge, but that one was not successful. So, after 10 minutes of play, the Flyers had a 1-0 lead.
Colorado had its best chance of the game with a little over 4 minutes to go in the period. Nathan MacKinnon came alive and set up a really good chance for Artturi Lehkonen, but his shot rang off the far corner iron and bounced off the face of Martin Necas, who was shaken up a bit on the play, causing a whistle.
Play picked up in the final 10 minutes of the period, but the Flyers went into the first intermission with the 1-0 lead and the 13-8 shots advantage.
Michkov Scores, Again
Colorado came out of the first break firing, looking to tie the game as quickly as possible.
The overwhelming majority of the first 10 minutes of the period were spent in the Flyers’ defensive zone. Yet somehow, the Avalanche only managed 2 shots on goal. The Flyers, on the other hand, managed a single shot, but started to gain some more offensive momentum as the early half of the period closed.
Alive, they were.
It became the Matvei Michkov show in the offensive zone as he skated around with the puck on his stick, waiting for his look. Michkov (6) eventually found it and fired one in from the high slot, sneaking his second goal of the game past Blackwood. 12:23 into the second period and 32:12 into the game, the Flyers had the 2-0 lead. Trevor Zegras (4) and Noah Cates (1) earned the assists on the goal.
The Avalanche got a good chance on the power play after Cale Makar laid a big hit on Noel Acciari, leading to Travis Sanheim crushing Makar into the boards. Sanheim earned himself a roughing minor, giving Colorado their first power play.
They got the kill, but right as Travis Sanheim was coming back onto the ice, Martin Necas (5) ripped one past Joseph Woll for the first Avalanche goal of the game, making it 2-1 late in the second period.
The Avalanche turned up the heat late, but the Flyers were able to escape into the second intermission with the 2-1 lead, still holding the edge in shots 18-17.
Avalanche Make it Close, Flyers Close it Out
42 seconds into the third period, the Avalanche got a power play with the chance to tie after Sean Couturier was called for a high-sticking penalty. It looked like a dangerous chance early with a loose puck in front of Woll, but the Flyers managed to escape that opportunity.
Beyond that, there was no other real danger, and the Flyers got the big early period kill.
Play went on and the Avalanche kept pushing, but it was the Flyers who scored first in the third.
Oliver Bonk (2) sent a shot in from the point, and Noel Acciari (1) got his stick up to redirect the shot past Blackwood, breaking his stick and putting his team up 3-1. It was his first goal and point as a Flyer. Trevor Zegras (5) made the pass setting up Bonk’s shot, earning the secondary assist.
That was 6:34 into the third period. From there on out, the Flyers had one mission: close it out.
The Avalanche made things interesting with 5:21 to play when TJ Hughes (2) brought the Avalanche within one with his goal assisted by Fedor Svechkov (3) and Sam Malinski (2).
It became a one-goal game in the closing minutes.
Colorado emptied their net with a little over 2 minutes to play, trying to find the tying goal. The Avalanche dominated possession at 6-on-5, but the Flyers were able to close it out for the 3-2 win.
What’s Next for the Flyers
The Flyers head to Buffalo, New York, on Wednesday when they take on the Sabers at 7:30 PM ET at the KeyBank Center.
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