PHILADELPHIA — In an exciting matchup on Saturday, the Philadelphia Flyers triumphed over the Edmonton Oilers with a score of 6-3, led by standout performances from Matvei Michkov and Sean Couturier. Each contributed one goal and two assists, while Owen Tippett netted two goals, marking a significant win for the Flyers following the 4 Nations break.
Michkov drew first blood in the first period by reclaiming his own rebound after initially missing a shot, slipping it past goalie Stuart Skinner, who managed to make 26 saves throughout the contest.
The second period saw Michkov shine with two impressive no-look passes that directly assisted in Flyers goals. He set up Couturier for a close-range shot with a cross-ice feed and later assisted Tippett, who scored on a breakaway, making it a 2-on-none situation. Notably, Couturier’s goal marked the 200th of his NHL career.
Earlier in the same period, Tippett broke a month-long scoring drought by finding the net on a breakaway after missing the last five games due to an upper-body injury. Additional goals for the Flyers came from Andrei Kuzmenko and Rasmus Ristolainen.
On the Oilers’ side, Leon Draisaitl fulfilled his role as a leading scorer, securing his 41st goal of the season. Teammates John Klingberg and Mattias Ekholm also added to the scoreboard. Meanwhile, Flyers’ goaltender Samuel Ersson made 15 saves to help secure the win.
Key takeaways from the game included Matt Savoie’s debut for the Oilers, where he recorded a primary assist on Draisaitl’s goal. It was Savoie’s only second career game, having been a first-round draft pick by Buffalo in 2022. The Flyers welcomed back four players from injury during this contest, and also introduced Jakob Pelletier, who played his first game with Philadelphia after a trade with Calgary.
A pivotal moment in the match occurred during the back-and-forth action of the second period when a misplay from the Oilers’ Brett Kulak led to a crucial turnover, allowing Tippett to score the decisive go-ahead goal on the ensuing breakaway.
Notably, the Flyers managed to hold Connor McDavid, one of the Oilers’ stars, scoreless throughout the game.
Looking ahead, the Oilers will face off against the Washington Capitals on Sunday, while the Flyers will have a brief hiatus before hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night.
