Flyers defeat Winnipeg Jets, 2-1, on Matvei Michkov shootout winner, knocking off yet another top NHL team

WINNIPEG, Manitoba ― The Flyers always seem to do well against the NHL’s top team. Saturday night in Canada was no different.

Facing the Winnipeg Jets, the league’s No. 1 team who had won 11 of their past 12 games, the Flyers skated away with a 2-1 shootout win. Matvei Michkov scored the game-winner when he stickhandled, did a shoulder fake, and roofed a backhander over Connor Hellebuyck.

“I picked up speed, faked the shot, closed my eyes, and scored,” Michkov said through a translator on Sportsnet, earning his first “Hockey Night in Canada” towel.

The Flyers extended their point streak to five games. It is their fourth five-game point streak this season; the longest of the season was six in January. And they can thank Noah Cates for the two points. The center saved the game in overtime when he blocked and then batted a sure goal by Kyle Connor away from the open net.

“I was on the ice and I was just on the backside of the post,” recalled defenseman Jamie Drysdale. “I’m like, ‘No, no, no.’ And then you see Cater just [make] a windmill save, I was like, ‘thank God.’”

Coach John Tortorella couldn’t see it because everyone on the bench was standing up but goalie Ivan Fedotov described it as, “Unbelievable” and the reason why the Flyers were able to stay in the game.

“It’s just desperation in overtime,” Cates said humbly. “They got their best players on the ice and they’re making plays and stuff. So to come up with a little save like that, help [Ivan Fedotov], is big for us, and to get the two points it’s huge.”

Fedotov is clearly getting used to long stretches without starts. Aleksei Kolosov supplanted him in October before being thrust into a start — and getting his first NHL win — after sitting for six games. Then he didn’t play for a month between Dec. 5 and Jan. 5 and, in his return, almost beat the Toronto Maple Leafs in consecutive games.

On Saturday he made his first start since Feb. 6 and stopped 29 of the 30 shots he faced.

“I have put him in spots and some bad spots,” Tortorella said. “I thought the guys played hard in front of him, knowing that the situation that he was involved in. ... He was very quiet just in net. Just using his size. He was really good.”

Using his long legs, the 6-foot-7 goalie produced several pad stops, including a Nikolaj Ehlers shot from the left faceoff circle and kicked out a Connor shot from the right circle with his right pad in the first period.

In the third period, Fedotov stood tall despite facing back-to-back power plays for the Jets. His best save was a flashy glove snare off a quick shot by Ehlers.

“Felt really good through the game,” Fedotov said. “First couple minutes, you need to find a way to get through the game, find the rhythm and pace. And after that, after a couple of shots ... just play your game, keep your mind focused and sharp.”

Mark Scheifele gave the Jets a 1-0 lead midway through the first period with his 34th goal of the season. Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi were across the slot when Connor took the puck behind the net and fed Vilardi in front. The center’s shot attempt went off the skate of Travis Sanheim and back to him in the slot. Despite being pressured by Sanheim and Cates, he was able to get the puck to Scheifele who beat Fedotov’s blocker side.

» READ MORE: Flyers’ Matvei Michkov named NHL Rookie of the Month

On the next shift, the line of Scott Laughton, Travis Konecny, and Andrei Kuzmenko kept the Jets pinned, with each player staying on the ice for over 70 seconds. The Flyers, who came out hard and were buzzing throughout the night went shot-for-shot with Winnipeg. They poured 32 shots on Hellebuyck, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner — and top contender for the title again in 2025.

The Flyers had their chances early and often. Andrei Kuzmenko made a nice pull-and-shoot move but was stopped in the first period. Owen Tippett put a good shot on with Sanheim popping the rebound off the post. After Fedotov waited out a breaking Connor, forcing him to miss on a short-handed attempt, Michkov broke the other way but was stopped.

Later in the game, Konecny had a breakaway chance but was robbed by Hellebuyck, and Brink was robbed in the third period with the glove of the American goalie after receiving a cross-ice pass. The Flyers ripped a page straight from the Tortorella playbook of using a strong defensive game to create offense.

“I never have to worry about how hard we’re going to play,” Tortorella said. “We play as a unit. And if you play hard, and you play hard as a unit, and you’re connected — and you’ve seen us when we’re not connected, we’re awful. When we’re connected and hard, you just find a way.”

But in the second period, the Orange and Black broke through. Looking confident with his decision-making and play on the puck, Jamie Drysdale scored his third goal of the season. Rotating with Cates down the boards, he got the puck back on a sweet saucer pass in the right faceoff circle and curled into the high slot where he turned to fire off a laser.

Drysdale looked confident with the puck all night, making plays at both ends. Tortorella said he has seen the improvement in the young blueliner.

“I think, to simplify everything [Tortorella] says, just skate forward as much as we can and I think I’ve been doing that more, whether it’s surfing, [or] whether it’s pinching down,” Drysdale said. “I think that’s allowed me to be more effective, and find myself in better areas of the ice to create and be more effective.”

Garnet Hathaway did not play due to an upper-body injury suffered Thursday in Pittsburgh. Nick Deslauriers took his spot in the lineup and dropped the gloves with Logan Stanley in the first period. ... Kolosov dressed as the backup goalie. It is the first time he’s suited up for a game since Jan. 7, when he was the backup for Fedotov. No. 1 netminder Sam Ersson did not dress, giving him a full night off. He is healthy, according to Flyers PR. ... Tortorella moved into sole possession of sixth place on the NHL’s all-time games coached list (1,608). He surpassed former St. Louis Blues and New York Islanders coach Al Arbour. In fifth place is Joel Quenneville at 1,768. ...

The Flyers will practice on Monday before welcoming back Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost on Tuesday when the Calgary Flames visit the Wells Fargo Center (7 p.m., NBCSP).