Flyers top Edmonton Oilers, 6-3, notching second straight win

The Flyers faced a daunting task on Saturday afternoon at the Wells Fargo Center.

After two weeks off for the 4 Nations Face-Off, they were up against an Edmonton Oilers squad that entered the day tied for the top spot in the Pacific Division. Edmonton also has two of the NHL’s top four point-getters, Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, and just seven regulation losses in 25 road games this season.

It was a tall task.

But the 14 days between games brought back a healthy Flyers lineup, a rejuvenated Matvei Michkov, and a confidence-boosted Sam Ersson, who had a masterful 32-save performance against the United States on Monday night.

Was it all clean and shiny? No. The end result, a 6-3 win and the Flyers’ second straight victory, was all that mattered.

Not a bad day’s work for the line of center Sean Couturier, left wing Owen Tippett, and the right winger Michkov. The trio was on the ice together for five of the Flyers' six goals.

“We were connecting,” Couturier said. “We seemed to find each other out there. I thought we supported each other well. We didn’t take off and cheat, although we had a lot of unmanned rushes, I think we came out together, supported well and, yeah, it was fun.”

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Michkov certainly likes playing against the Oilers and goalie Stuart Skinner. Facing Edmonton in his third NHL game, he notched his first (and second) career goal. On Saturday, he collected No. 17, tying him with Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks for the rookie goal-scoring lead.

The rush was started by Egor Zamula, playing his first game since Jan. 23 due to an upper-body injury. He made a nice poke-check inside the Flyers’ blue line on Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard. Scott Laughton scooped up the puck and started the transition, sending a cross-ice pass to Michkov on the right wing; Laughton did not get a plus-1 as he headed to the bench for a change, with Couturier coming on.

Michkov skated to the top of the right faceoff circle and sent a puck wide. As it ricocheted off the endboard, the Russian phenom followed up his shot attempt and buried the puck.

“I had a chance to recoup,” Michkov said of the two-week break through a team translator. “I had a good time out of hockey and ready for the rest of the season. I needed the break.”

Defense has not been the 20-year-old’s strength, but it says a lot about where his game was on Saturday when coach John Tortorella had him on the ice late in the third period. Michkov had three shifts in the final five minutes with the Flyers up by two goals — one of the shifts included an empty-netter.

“He’s a great player. He sees the ice very well,” Tippett said. “Obviously doesn’t matter who’s playing with him, you have to be ready for the puck whenever. His game has only gotten better as the years gone on and it’s always fun to play with a guy like that.”

You wouldn’t know watching Tippett flying around the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday afternoon that he hadn’t played hockey in almost a month. The Flyers winger returned to the lineup after missing five games with an upper-body injury, suffered Jan. 29 on a hit by New Jersey Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon.

“I think the break came at a good time for me,” he said. “Obviously, it [stinks] being out but luckily it came at a good time. I’m happy to be back now.”

And the Flyers are happy he’s back as he notched a pair, the first all on his own. Chipping the puck up the boards and out of the Flyers’ end, Tippett outraced Brett Kulak down the left wing and buried the puck on the backhand up-and-over Skinner.

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The second came off a pass by Michkov as he crashed the net. But the play started in the neutral zone with Couturier poking the puck away from Mattias Janmark and sending a no-look pass between his legs down to Tippett. The winger got the puck and passed to Michkov before crossing behind him to get to the net. Michkov sent a backhand pass across the crease and Tippett banged it in for his second multigoal game of the season.

“I think Mich likes playing with him. I think there’s a little bit of a connection there,” Tortorella said of Tippett, who came close to a third goal. “... [He] just adds some speed to our team, but I think our whole team looks faster.”

With the line rolling, Couturier scored too, and it was the 200th of his NHL career in the second period.

After he lost an offensive-zone faceoff, Bouchard had the puck in the corner but flipped it right to Michkov. Known for his creativity and vision — although it didn’t look like he looked up before making the pass — the Flyers phenom settled the puck and fed Couturier atop the crease for an easy goal.

“It’s something I’m proud of,” Couturier said of No. 200. “There’s been a lot of downs over the last couple years, and to get there, it’s a lot of fun [and] it’s a great honor. But it’s been a lot of help from teammates, coaches to get there. And, yeah, I just hope I can maybe score another hundred.”

Couturier also added an assist on an empty-net goal by Rasmus Ristolainen.

Assistant coach Rocky Thompson said of Andrei Kuzmenko on Thursday, “I think he will help it. Yeah, without a doubt.” The “it” was the power play and, prophetically, he was right.

The Russian winger, acquired on Jan. 31 from the Calgary Flames, notched his first with the Flyers on the man advantage. Laughton told The Inquirer on Friday that he thought Kuzmenko could “bring that really good release from the slot.”

Well, on the goal, he didn’t have time to fire one off — but he was in the slot. Sitting in the bumper, Kuzmenko redirected a pass from Travis Konecny past Skinner.

And he did it with a broken stick, dropping it after he scored with two pieces falling to the ice with his hands in the air.

“It’s the first time in my life, it’s a funny goal,” he said, adding he broke his stick and got a new one earlier in the shift. “A lot of emotion because it’s two broken sticks, so funny shift but it’s a good pass with Travis and it’s nice.”

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The Flyers held Edmonton to 18 shots on goal, with just three in the third period and none during a power play with 6:26 remaining in the game. ... Ristolainen returned after missing three games with an upper-body injury. He notched an empty-netter. ... Forward Jakob Pelletier made his Flyers debut. He was acquired from the Flames with Kuzmenko. ... Travis Sanheim and Konecny skated on Saturday after winning the 4 Nations Face-Off with Canada on Thursday. Their Canada teammate McDavid, who scored the overtime winner, also played for Edmonton. ... Forward Ryan Poehling returned to the lineup after suffering a head injury on Jan. 16. ... The Flyers replaced Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird” with Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip’s “Blow at High Dough” for warmups. The former was the goal song for the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

The Flyers host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Center (7 p.m., NBCSP). On Sunday, the Flyers will host the 46th annual Flyers Charities Carnival.