Postgame RAV4: Flyers Top Habs in Finale

The Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Montreal Canadiens, 4-2, at Xfinity Mobile Arena in the final regular season game of the 2025-26 campaign. The Flyers finished with 98 points (43-27-12).

Mavei Michkov led the way with a three-point night (1g, 2a). In his NHL debut, Oliver Bonk notched his first goal and first assist. Fellow defenseman Hunter McDonald contributed his first NHL assist.

A Porter Martone deflection goal (4th) in front of the net gave him a six-game point streak to close out the regular season. Bonk (1st) doubled the lead. Philly took their two-goal lead to intermission.

Veteran pest Brendan Gallagher (7th) made it 2-1 in the second period. Michkov (20th) got the goal back for Philadelphia. Jake Evans (12th) scored in the waning seconds to send the game to the second intermission with the Flyers' lead reduced to 3-2.

In the 3rd period, Alex Bump (5th) opened a 4-2 lead.

Samuel Ersson stopped 26 of 28 Montreal shots. Jakub Dobes made 21 saves on 25 Philadelphia shots.

The Flyers went 0-for-0 on the power play. The PK was 3-for-3.

FIRST PERIOD SYNOPSIS

Samuel Ersson made a save on Kaiden Guhle. Nick Seeler took a high sticking penalty 21 seconds into the game. Garnet Hathaway painfully blocked a shot off his right arm.

Oliver Bonk made a nice play tracking down the puck carrier and preventing him from exiting the defensive zone.

Matvei Michkov had a breakaway from the offensive blueline. He shifted to the backhand but was unable to elevate the puck over Dobes.

At 8:08, Michkov's point shot was redirected into the net by Martone. Bonk, who steered the puck to Michkov drew his first NHL point with the secondary helper.

David Jiricek landed a solid bodycheck on Cole Caufield.

Hunter McDonald threw a hit inside the attack blueline and drew attention from Montreal players. Michkov passed across to Bonk, who ripped home the puck with a screen in front. The assists went to Michkov and Hunter McDonald at 14:42.

Shots: Flyers 8 - Canadiens 12
Faceoffs: Flyers 6 - Canadiens 11

SECOND PERIOD SYNOPSIS

Montreal controlled possession for much of the middle stanza.

Ersson came up with a dandy save for his 13th of the game. At the other end, Martone ripped a one-timer on net from the dot to Dobes' right.

Montreal cut the gap to 2-1 at 6:50, went through the slot and directed Guhle's pass home. Alexander Texier drew the secondary helper. The sequence started with a turnover at the offensive blueline.

Barkey had a golden scoring chance. He missed over the net. Later, Jiricek created an opportunity for Gaucher. The puck squibbed past Dobes, who found it in time to cover for a stoppage.

Philly grabbed a 3-1 edge at 13:52. Michkov was Johnny-on-the-spot near the post to Dobes' left. The play beforehand was created by McDonald and Cates. The goal was officially unassisted.

Seeler blocked a shot to spoil a 2-on-1 for Montreal. One shift later, Ersson made a save on Cole Caufield from the low slot.

Montreal went to its second power play at 16:43. Foerster went off for holding on a sequence that also could have been called interference. Seeler sacrificed his body to block a shot. At the end, Martone had a strong shift, protecting the puck and using his strength to bull forward through sheer will.

With 10.8 seconds, Ersson was unable to cover a loose puck near the net. A diving Evans beat Seeler to it and put it in the night. Arber Xhekaj got the primary assist for the initial shot. Joe Veleno had the secondary assist.

Shots: Flyers 12 (20 overall)  - Canadiens 24  (12 overall)
Faceoffs: Flyers 9 (15 overall) - Canadiens 13 (24 overall)

THIRD PERIOD SYNOPSIS

Tyson Foerster had the Flyers' first chance. At  4:38, Martone stirred things up with David Reinbacher after a whistle near the net.

Ten seconds after play resumed, Montreal went to its third power play at 4:48. McDonald went off for interference. Ersson denied a one-timer from the left dot, Philadelphia killed off the minor.

At 10:19, Ersson picked Oliver Kapanen cleanly with his glove from about 35 feet away. After the whistle, McDonald and Kirby Dach tangled and received matching roughing penalties.

Bump found open ice in the slot and sniped a shot for a 4-2 edge. Bump also got the play starting, digging the puck out from the boards. The lone assist went to Martone at 12:00.

Ersson stopped a left circle one-timer from Texier at about 15:30. Two more roughing penalties -- Jiricek for Philly and Texier for Montreal ensued after the whistle.

Montreal pulled Dobes for a 5-on-4.

Shots: Flyers 5 (25 overall)  - Canadiens 5  (29 overall)
Faceoffs: Flyers 7 (22 overall) - Canadiens 5 (29 overall)

FLYERS STARTING LINEUP

Tyson Foerster - NoahCates - Matvei Michkov
Alex Bump - Denver Barkey - Porter Martone
Garrett Wilson -  Luke Glendening - Garnet Hathaway
Carl Grundstrom - Jacob Gaucher - Anthony Richard

Nick Seeler - David Jiricek
Emil Andrae - Noah Juulsen
Hunter McDonald - Oliver Bonk

Postgame RAV4 (RAV4 Things Revisited)

1. Who plays, who rests

Flyers regulars who had the final night off to rest and mentally recuperate included all of the following: Sean Couturier, Travis Konecny, Travis Sanheim, Rasmus Ristolainen, Cam York, Jamie Drysdale, and goaltender Dan Vladar.

Noah Cates dressed for the game, becoming the lone Flyer to dress in all 82 games this season. Other regulars and semi-regulars  who played: Michkov, Martone, Tyson Forster, Nick Seeler, Denver Barkey, Luke Glendeningl Carl Grundstrom and Garnet Hathaway.

2. Between the Pipes: Ersson

Samuel Ersson was flawless on the first 13 shots he faced. The late Montreal goal in the final 10 seconds of the middle frame opened the door for the Habs after Evans potted a loose rebound in the blue paint. In the third period, Ersson was outstanding.

3. Martone

The 19-year-old rookie, even above scoring a nice deflection goal, had another game where he made an impact on multiple shifts.

4. Milestones in reach

Michkov hit the 20-goal mark for the second time in as many NHL seasons. He also reached 50 points again. Of course, Bonk and McDonald also had nights to remember with their respective first points in the National Hockey League.