Rookie sensation Matvei Michkov scored the game-winning goal in overtime to give the Philadelphia Flyers a dramatic 5-4 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night. The Flyers found themselves in a deep hole early, getting outshot 28-7 through the first two periods.
But the home team mounted a remarkable rally in the third period to force overtime and set the stage for Michkov’s heroics. “We weren’t happy with our start, but the guys showed a lot of character to battle back and get the win,” said Flyers head coach John Tortorella.
“That’s the kind of resilience we’re going to need if we want to push harder this season.” The Senators jumped out to a 1-0 lead midway through the first period when Brady Tkachuk capitalized on a Flyers turnover. Drake Batherson then scored on the power play in the second to give Ottawa a 2-1 advantage.
But the Flyers refused to go away. Late in the middle frame, Travis Konecny scored on a breakaway to tie the game at 2-2 heading into the third period. The seesaw battle continued in the final frame, with the Senators grabbing a 4-2 lead on goals from Josh Norris and Adam Gaudette. The Flyers staged an impressive comeback just when it seemed inevitable.
Anthony Richard scored to make it 4-3, and then Bobby Brink netted the game-tying goal less than two minutes later to knot the score at 4-4 with 7:15 remaining in regulation. “We didn’t quit, and that’s a great sign for this team,” said Flyers captain Sean Couturier. “We’ve got a lot of fight in us, and Michkov showed that with his huge goal in overtime.”
In the extra session, Michkov gathered the puck along the goal line and fired a shot that banked off Senators goalie Linus Ullmark and into the net to seal the victory. “Matvei is a special player, and he showed that tonight with the game-winner,” Tortorella said of the rookie. “He has a knack for making big plays in important moments.”
The win was a much-needed boost for the Flyers, who had lost four of their last five games. They now turn their attention to a Saturday night matchup against the Buffalo Sabres as they begin a five-game homestand. “This was a huge win for us,” Couturier added. “We showed a lot of heart and never gave up, and that’s the kind of hockey we need to play if we want to be successful this season.”
With the Senators now headed to Carolina for their next game, they’ll have to regroup quickly after squandering a late lead. They can take solace in pushing the Flyers to the brink, only to have Michkov’s overtime heroics dash their hopes. “It’s a tough one to swallow, but we gave it our all out there,” said Senators captain Brady Tkachuk.
“We’ll learn from this experience and come back stronger.” As the final seconds ticked away in overtime, the Wells Fargo Center crowd erupted in celebration, witnessing a thrilling comeback capped by the latest display of Michkov’s burgeoning star power. The Flyers’ young phenom has quickly become must-see TV in the City of Brotherly Love.