Philadelphia Flyers
Matvei Michkov Inspires Flyers to Another Preseason Win: ‘He Wants to Score Goals’
Matvei Michkov put on his superhero cape once again, scoring the game-tying and game-winning goals in the Philadelphia Flyers’ 3-2 overtime win over the Boston Bruins at the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday night.
Michkov, 19, is up to three goals in his only two career games in front of the Flyers faithful at home after scoring the empty-net goal against the visiting New York Islanders on Thursday, and his confidence is visibly growing.
Another part of that, though, is the support Michkov’s teammates have shown him in his short time in North America.
Flyers captain Sean Couturier noticed Bruins defenseman and career AHLer Billy Sweezey pinning Michkov to the glass and shoving him away from the play and decided that Sweezey’s antics were not acceptable.
COUTURIER STEPS IN FOR MATVEI. THAT'S OUR CAPTAIN.#LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/0CY920oilA
— Flyers Clips (@Flyers_Clips) September 28, 2024
So what did the soft-spoken, usually reserved Couturier do? He immediately challenged Sweezey to a fight and won.
Couturier dropping the gloves doesn’t happen often, and his teammates and coaches took notice.
“Gigantic. That’s how team’s are built, right? It’s a brotherhood. You play for one another,” said Flyers associate coach Brad Shaw, describing how Couturier’s fight affected the bench and the locker room. “Absolute perfect leadership at that time. Exactly what we needed. Not surprised that we scored shortly after that.”
Just 14 seconds removed from the fighting majors, Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen tied the game at 1-1, answering Hampus Lindholm’s opening goal with a laser beam from the right circle.
Even though Bruins youngster Matt Poitras stole the lead back with a shorthanded goal early in the second period, the Flyers were beginning to find their game. The power play – Michkov’s unit in particular – was generating positive momentum.
And then Michkov took over.
Less than two minutes after Poitras’s goal, the Flyers were gifted another power play when Poitras hooked Scott Laughton.
Rotating high to low with Travis Konecny, Michkov snuck behind Bruins defenseman Mason Lohrei and parked himself right on top of the far post of the goal. Just seconds later, Olle Lycksell’s brilliant pass from the left circle hit Michkov’s stick and bounced into the net for an effortless power play goal.
“Yeah, just trying to feed him,” Lycksell said of his assist with a big smile. “And I think he kind of knows the spots where he should be in order to, kind of, make a good scoring chance out of every situation, and I feel like he really showed that tonight with the goal there.
“He’s by the post, he gets kind of open out there and that’s not his position from the start. He knows where to be to score the goals, and that’s great stuff.”
Couturier, who played on a line with Michkov and Konecny on Saturday night, was more impressed with some of the things Michkov did without the puck.
“He wants to score goals, he wants the puck, and he works hard for it,” Couturier added. “That’s what you want to see from a young guy. He’s just working hard.”
“He’s a deceptive guy. He goes into those puck battles and it’s like, ‘Oh boy, that’s too bad we’re not going to win this one,’ and then he’s skating out of the puck battle with the puck,” Shaw quipped.
MATVEI MICHKOV OVERTIME WINNER!!!!!!!! OH MY GOD!!!!!#LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/TPKbDDBiuT
— Flyers Clips (@Flyers_Clips) September 29, 2024
And, after Michkov tied the game, he scored the winner for good measure.
Racing down the ice with Konecny flanking him, Michkov pivoted inside from the left circle to squeeze the angle, took aim, and ripped his shot past the helpless outstretched glove of Joonas Korpisalo, lifting the Flyers to a 3-2 overtime win over the Bs.
Drysdale #1 d man (quarterback ) to michkov on power play is to die for. Watching a #1 d man to a legit #1 sniper wing finally . The skill was insane even without the goals parts .
the four years of systematically building a legit team while guys had to deal with all the naysayers as our d corps had to just roll over at times and couturier had to rest and “play wing “ to get the players that were needed . Still not done . Some more building to do . Some call it a tank , I call it business so the rest of guys finally . Can’t believe hockey fans haven’t seen what they are doing player by player for their roles .
only power wing on roster is Hathaway and delauriers still so our power play won’t run completely yet until next year . But drysdale to michkov is a glimpse as to what’s coming as part of it .
chuck fletcher and Brent Flahr are hockey gods for what they have built in 3-4 years . Everyone is checking out for their roles . Can’t wait to see Briere finish team next summer !!!,
lunchenko looks mostly ready even if it’s a tough year . Bonk needs another season away from nhl.
it’s coming ,,,,still another year away from going insane in Philly . The casual fans don’t yet recognize what they’ve been doing under the hood !
,,
Give luchenko and michkov their rookies years people
Couturier was great for what he did . I still really don’t want him fighting and definitley don’t want michkov fighting
I would love for them to rent a Corey Perry or folignio for a year like Chicago did around bedard . To deter michkov from being targeted .
we will have our power wing soon enough . Brady tkachuk is still my #1 target . Followed by a Tom Wilson or barbashev . Barbashev can’t Chuck them though .
i think they want to wait till what they have with michkovs entire package and bring in someone who can mold around michkov . Scott hartnell part 2 . Brady tkachuk would be a tim Kerr clone
The fact you want Tom Wilson here and think that Chuck Fletcher is a hockey god is all we need to know about your hockey knowledge.
As much as Ronnie Attard had a dreadful first preseason game, and was demoted to LHV……I am not impressed with Jaime Drysdale when it comes to defense…and his turnovers in the defensive zone. He may be a PP wizard….but in ES situations I have to hold my breath.