The Philadelphia Flyers earned their first win of the 2026-27 season. Rick Tocchet's team defeated the Ottawa Senators, 3-1, at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Saturday evening. It was also Philly's first three’ goal game of the year.
Matvei Michkov and Porter Martone led the way offensively with a goal and an assist apiece.
The first period was scoreless but the Flyers had the better of the play. They looked better through the neutral zone and more connected moving up the ice. Philly also had very good pressure on the game's first power play. Lastly, Philly got several timely saves to erase potentially deflating miscues.
The Flyers' 14 shots on net in the first period were a season high. Alas, it was a scoreless frame.
In the second period, Drake Batherson (4th of the season) scored the game's first goal but Porter Martone (2nd) evened it up quickly. Later, Mickov (PPG, 4th) was on the scoring end of a power play connection with Martone.
The flow of play was similar to the first. The Flyers created a decided territorial edge. They were also the more physical team.
Philly spent most of the third period defending. Finally, Trevor Zegras (2nd) sealed the win with an empty netter.
Dan Vladar stopped 25 of 26 shots for the win. Linus Ullmark made 25 saves on 27 shots.
1ST PERIOD
The Flyers went to the power play at just 51 seconds on a Tyler Kleven delay of game penalty. Philly generated a lot of pressure -- five shot attempts, three on net -- and had Ottawa on their heels.
Philly had five of the game's first six shots on net through 5:05.
Sean Couturier forced an Ottawa turnover. A good scoring chance went awry due to an extra pass. One shift later, Vladar denied Warren Foegele in transition.
The Flyers went to their second power play at 11:20. Thomas Chabot went off for tripping. Oliver Bonk fired offf a point shot during the delayed call. Philly generated their 10th shot of the period but couldn't get to a rebound.
At 15:56, the Flyers got caught in on a bad line change. Vladar snapped a Dylan Cozens shot out of the air.
At 14:41, Zegras grabbed hold of Tim Stutzle and spun him around. The ref's arm went up as Zegras moved in and put the puck past Ullmark. The crowd cheered but there was obviously no goal due to the Philly penalty. Tyson Foerster appeared to block a shot off his hand or wrist. He went up the tunnel but later returned for the second period. Vladar stopped Drake Batherson on a good look for Ottawa.
Ottawa hemmed the Flyers' fourth line and third D pair in their own zone. They were eventually to get a timely stoppage.
Shots: Flyers 14 - Senators 8
Faceoffs: Flyers 8 -- Senators 12
2ND PERIOD
Foerster ripped a shot from distance on net. The rebound was too hot to handle.
The Christian Dvorak line generated a very strong shift about 5:30 into the frame.
Bonk had a shot on net. The puck came out long -- right past Sanheim trying to move in -- and Ottawa had a 2-on-1. Claude Giroux fed across to Batherson, who wired a shot into the net at 5:55. The second assist went to Stutzle.
An Ottawa turnover inside their own blueline finally paid off for Philly. Martone redirected the puck into the net as Matvei Michkov sent it toward the front. Michkov drew the lone assist (his first of the season) for the set up. Earlier, Martone knocked a puck away from Thomas Chabot. Time of the goal was 9:03.
