Michkov Strikes Twice as Shorthanded Flyers Hold Off Avalanche 3-2
Missing five regulars and dressing four rookies, Philadelphia beat Colorado for a second straight win — powered by Matvei Michkov's three-game scoring streak and three assists from Trevor Zegras.
A week ago the Flyers were 0-6-3 and the season looked buried before Halloween. On Monday night, missing five regulars and dressing four rookies, Philadelphia beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 at Xfinity Mobile Arena for its second straight win, according to NHL.com's game recap.
The Michkov show
Matvei Michkov scored twice — a first-period power-play goal at 7:41 that survived a Colorado goaltender-interference challenge, then a second at 12:23 of the middle frame. He has now scored in three straight games, has six goals in 11 games this season (it took him 22 games to reach six as a rookie), and became the first Flyer with power-play goals in consecutive games since Travis Konecny in December 2024–January 2025. "Goal-scorers' goals," coach Rick Tocchet called them.
Trevor Zegras quietly had three assists — his fourth career three-assist game and first as a Flyer — while Noel Acciari redirected Oliver Bonk's point shot for the eventual winner at 6:34 of the third, his first goal of the season. Joseph Woll made 24 saves, surviving Martin Necas's goal three seconds after an expired power play and T.J. Hughes's late strike that made it a one-goal game. Colorado pulled Mackenzie Blackwood with 2:02 left but managed one shot the rest of the way, with Travis Sanheim blocking three attempts.
Depth tested, depth answered
Philadelphia did all this without Travis Konecny, Owen Tippett, Tyson Foerster, Cam York and Rasmus Ristolainen. Call-ups Alex Bump, Cole Knuble, Jacob Gaucher and Hunter McDonald filled the gaps, with Knuble making his NHL debut. "I just saw a lot of buy-in tonight," Tocchet said.
For the Avalanche (5-3-1), it was a flat night that coach Jared Bednar summed up as "sluggish and sloppy" — the first time this season the Flyers scored three goals against a goaltender, and Colorado was the team that allowed it.