Michkov’s two goals not enough as Flyers lose grip of McDavid, Oilers in OT originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Matvei Michkov staked the Flyers to a 2-0 lead at first intermission Tuesday night and they held a 3-2 edge heading into the third period.
But the Flyers couldn’t hold off Connor McDavid and the Oilers as they suffered a 4-3 overtime loss at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta.
McDavid found a wide-open Leon Draisaitl for the game winner seconds after coming up empty on a breakaway. The three-time MVP made a couple of sharp plays to help force OT when he found Evan Bouchard with 3:42 minutes remaining in regulation.
Michkov scored his first career NHL goal and added his second before the halfway mark of the opening stanza. Both were power play markers. Bobby Brink netted the Flyers’ other goal, regaining the team its lead with just 23 seconds left in the second period.
The Flyers are 1-1-1 on this season-opening four-game road trip.
The defending Western Conference champion Oilers picked up their first win. They came in having scored just three goals in an 0-3-0 start, with all three losses coming at home.
John Tortorella’s club doesn’t see Edmonton again until Feb. 22 in Philadelphia.
• Through three games, this was Michkov’s best by far. What might have the Flyers most excited is the multitude of looks he can give them on the power play. As Tortorella said last month about Michkov, the Flyers have been “starving for the type of plays that he can make.”
The 19-year-old can make things happen in so many different ways on the man advantage and he showed it against the Oilers. On his first goal, he was persistent in jamming the puck past the leg pad of Edmonton goalie Stuart Skinner. His second goal was off a nice shot from almost below the circle.
He was dangerous on the power play all night.
Last season, the Flyers’ man advantage started 1 for 20 and finished the year at a league-worst 12.2 percent. It marked the third consecutive season the club owned the NHL’s last-ranked power play. Through three games this season, the Flyers’ man advantage is 4 for 15. Michkov has scored two of the goals and assisted another.
The Oilers did not play a smart game Tuesday night, putting the Flyers on seven power plays. In a 2-2 game during the second period, the Flyers had 40 seconds of a 5-on-3 and couldn’t convert. But Brink scored nine seconds after the second power play expired.
• Facing Edmonton for the first time in his career, Samuel Ersson made 29 saves on 33 shots.
The soon-to-be 25-year-old gave the Flyers a good chance to win.
The Oilers drew even at 2-2 in the second period on goals from Adam Henrique and Connor Brown. Ersson allowed a bad rebound on Henrique’s goal, while the Flyers left Brown alone after failing to clear the puck.
Travis Sanheim had a minus-3 rating and Cam York a minus-2.
Skinner stopped 27 of the Flyers’ 30 shots.
• McDavid historically has wreaked havoc on the Flyers whenever they visit Rogers Place.
The Flyers were able to limit him Tuesday night until the third period. He now has 24 points (eight goals, 16 assists) in nine career home games against the Flyers, who are just 2-6-1 over those matchups.
• Sean Couturier and Joel Farabee had back-to-back fights in the third period.
Couturier obliged Troy Stecher after the Flyers’ captain collided with Skinner (no penalty was called).
Two seconds later, Farabee and Corey Perry dropped the gloves after jawing quite a bit before a faceoff.
• Some numbers to note:
The Flyers blocked 21 shots and Garnet Hathaway had a couple of gutsy ones.
Morgan Frost collected assists on both of Michkov’s goals.
Farabee and Brink have recorded a point in all three of the Flyers’ games.
• After sitting for the Flyers’ 6-3 loss last Saturday to the Flames, Jett Luchanko was back in the lineup against Edmonton. He went scoreless in 17 minutes but used his speed at times and did some good things.
• Nick Seeler missed a third straight game after taking a puck to the peroneal nerve in his right leg two weeks ago. The second-pair defenseman is considered day to day.
• The Flyers wrap up their trip Thursday when they visit the Kraken (10 p.m. ET/NBCSP).
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