Postgame RAV4: Flyers Roll Past Avalanche

The Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Colorado Avalanche, 7-3, at Ball Arena in Denver on Friday night. Owen Tippett led the offense with a monstrous four-point night including three goals, while Matvei Michkov had two goals and an assist.

The Avalanche sustained just their second regulation home loss of the season (20-2-4). The Flyers finished a tough western road trip with five of six possible points.

Colorado dominated most of the first period. However, an Owen Tippett goal (16th) in the final five minutes gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead. Later, Denver Barkey (PPG, 2nd) sent the Flyers to intermission with a two-goal lead.

Parker Kelly (10th) narrowed the Flyers' lead to 2-1 in the second period a few seconds after a Philadelphia turnover. Midway through the period, Victor Olofsson (10th) knotted the score. Bobby Brink (13th) had a quick response. However, just over a minute later, Cale Makar (15th) tied the game at 3-3.

Early in the third period, Tippett's second tally of the game (17th) and a Matvei Michkov deflection goal (11th) re-opened a two-goal edge for Philly. In the middle stages of the frame, Tippett scored (SHG, 18th) on a shorthanded breakaway to complete his hat trick. Later Michkov collected his second goal of the night (ENG, 12th).

Samuel Ersson finished the game with 32 saves on 35 shots. Mackenzie Blackwood made 13 saves on 19 shots.

The Flyers also won the special teams battle. They went 1-for-2 on the power play. They were 4-for-4 on the penalty kill.

FIRST PERIOD SYNOPSIS

The Flyers took a penalty on the game's first shift. Travis Konecny went off for hooking at the 45-second mark. Ersson made key back-to-back saves including a Martin Necas rebound try. Additionally, Cam York blocked a shot.

Parker Kelly had a good 5-on-5 scoring chance. Cates was called for neutral zone interference on Necas at 4:59. The Flyers went right back to the PK. Ersson made a bang-bang save on Valeri Nichushkin.

Ersson made back-to-back stops at 5-on-5: Kelly and Gavin Brindley in immediate succession. Through 7:27, shots were 10-1 Colorado.

Denver Barkey had a scoring opportunity after a TV timeout. A few shifts later, Christian Dvorak hit the post on a setup from Travis Konecny: close but not an official shot on goal (12-1 Colorado at this point).

The Flyers had a 3-on-2 rush. After being blocked by Sam Walinski on an initial shot attempt, Tippett scored for a 1-0 lead at 15:02. The assists went to Barkey and York.

The Flyers went to their first power play at 17:41. Nate MacKinnon went off for interference. The second unit started the power play and cashed in. Barkey got open in the bumper spot. Michkov fed a nice pass and Barkey buried it at 18:57. Picking up his second point, Tippett got the secondary assist.

Shots: Flyers 7 - Avalanche 17
Faceoffs: Flyers 9 - Avalanche 6

SECOND PERIOD SYNOPSIS

On a Colorado line change, Artturi Lehkonen high-sticked Michkov. The Flyers went to the power play at 2:02. On the power play, Michkov came out from behind the net for a scoring opportunity. The Flyers were unable to capitalize.

A Dvorak giveaway in the defensive zone gave Colorado extended attack time. The Flyers paid for it. At 7:17, Kelly potted a shot/pass from Zakhar Bardakov. The secondary assist went to Jack Ahcan.

The Flyers turned the puck over again -- this time Grundstrom -- but escaped consequences this time. The coverage held. Two shifts later, Brindley tested Ersson, who made his 20th save of the game.

At 10:29, the Avalanche forged a 2-2 tie. Olofsson beat Ersson to the glove side. with the assists going to MacKinnon and Necas.

A hard-working shift by Brink restored the Flyers' lead at 11:01. The goal was officially unassisted because an Av touched it before the tally but Noah Cates was also heavily involved in the sequence.

A clean faceoff win by Colorado started the next goal sequence that ended with Makar burying a perfectly placed shot over Ersson at 12:12. The assists went to MacKinnon and Necas.

Colorado continued to push after the Makar goal, controlling most of the territorial play.

Shots: Flyers 6 (13 overall) - Avalanche 7 (24 overall)
Faceoffs: Flyers 6 (15 overall) - Avalanche 10 (16 overall)

THIRD PERIOD SYNOPSIS

Tippett was robbed by Blackwood in transition off a Barkey feed. Subsequently, Tippett went bar down at the 56-second mark to restore a lead. The lone assist went to Sean Couturier.

The Flyers struck again at 2:00. Michkov moved in front and redirected an Andrae shot for a 5-3 lead. Garnet Hathaway earned his first assist and second point of the season on the secondary helper.

Two shifts later, Dvorak set up Konecny. TK hit the post. After Colorado got away with a slew foot, Andrae went off for tripping Bardakov at 4:17. Philly killed off the penalty. Through 8:22, shots on goal were 6-1 Flyers.

Unfortunately, the Flyers continued to tempt fate with their fourth minor penalty of the game. Barkey got the gate for slashing the stick at 8:37. Ersson made a save on Olofsson from the slot. Striking a dagger in the Avs' hearts, Tippett picked off a pass and soloed on the breakaway with a finish through the five-hole at 10:24 for a commanding 6-3 lead. The shorthanded goal was unassisted.

Moving to his right, Ersson stoned Makar. It was his eighth save of the period.

With five minutes to play, Bednar pulled Blackwood for a 6-on-5. Zegras was stripped of the puck with the empty net in front of him. Finally, Konecny gave up an opportunity of his own to send Michkov in for the empty net goal at 16:53.

Shots: Flyers 7 (20 overall) - Avalanche 11 (35 overall)
Faceoffs: Flyers 22 (26 overall) - Avalanche 8 (24 overall)

FLYERS STARTING LINEUP

Trevor Zegras – Christian Dvorak – Travis Konecny
Denver Barkey -- Sean Couturier -- Owen Tippett
Matvei Michkov – Noah Cates – Bobby Brink
Carl Grundstrom – Lane Pederson – Garnet Hathaway

Cam York -- Travis Sanheim
Nick Seeler-- Jamie Drydale
Emil Andrae -- Noah Juulsen

Samuel Ersson
[Aleksei Kolosov]

Postgame RAV4 (RAV4 Things Revisited)

1. Move past last game

The Flyers got Friday's match into "win a period, win the game" territory. That was a good accomplishment after what happened in Utah on Wednesday. In the third period, the Flyers pulled away.

2. Couturier and the veterans

Flyers captain Sean Couturier chipped in an assist on Michkov's third period goal. Travis Konecny had an assist. However, Tippett was the main hero of the night. The Flyers needed a key veteran or two to lead the charge. Tippett seized the moment.

3. Youthful energy

Michkov and Barkey have shown hints of emerging chemistry in previous games. In the first period of this game, Michkov had a nice power play setup of Barkey on Philadelphia's second goal. Later, Michkov bagged a deflection goal for his second point of the night.

4. Make the Avs earn their offense

Ersson was a brick wall in the first 27 minutes of the game. The Dvorak turnover provided a chance that eventually led to Colorado's first goal. From there, Colorado's superstars did their thing on the Avs' second and third goals.