The Philadelphie Matvei Michov (39 -year -old) Flyers striker marks the Winnipeg Jets of Winnipeg Connor Hellebuyck (37) during the Canada Life Center shooting. (Images Terrence Lee-Imagn)
The Philadelphia flyers went to Winnipeg on Saturday evening and won one of the best teams in the League in a dramatic way, guaranteeing a 2-1 victory over the jets.
It was a game that had everything – high -end guards, a tight defensive game and just enough offensive flair to keep things interesting.
And when the dust settled, the flyers had extended their sequence of five -game points, continued their recent domination over the jets and reminded everyone that, even in a closely disputed eliminatory race, they are more than capable of staying with the NHL elite.
1. Ivan Fedotov declaration performance
The flyers do not win this match without Ivan Fedotov. Complete stop.
After sitting on the bench for almost three weeks, the great Russian goalkeeper was thrown into the fire against one of the most implacable teams in the league – and he did not just manage the pressure, he prospered it.
Fedotov was sharp from the drop of opening washer, following the rings well, face each plan and using its massive frame to remove the angles from the dangerous shooters of Winnipeg. At the end of the match, he arrested 29 of the 30 shots, then refused each shootout attempt to lock the victory.
Is it one thing to play well after a coherent departures, but to come in the cold – which has not played since February 6 – and Stonewall one of the best in the NHL? It’s remarkable. It says a lot about the mental tenacity of Fedotov, his preparation and how much he is made up of him despite the long gaps between departures.
The flyers needed their goalkeeper to be solid all season, and although Sam Ersson has taken most of the workload, performances like this show show how precious Fedotov can be. With the tightening of the calendar and the intensification of the intensification of the playoffs, it will not be the last time it is called in a large place. And if this game is an indication, it is more than ready for the challenge.
2. The flyers found just enough offense against Connor Hellebuyck
Marking on Connor Hellebuyck is never easy. The guy is a brick wall, a perennial candidate Vezina and a nightmare for opposing shooters. But the leaflets did not let this intimidate them. They moved forward, created chances, and although they only beat it once in the regulations, they generated just enough quality opportunities to stay in the fight.
Winnipeg plays an stingy defensive game, and Hellebuyck ensures that even the smallest fans do not lead to goals. But the leaflets were not dissuaded – they stuck to their structure, moved the washer well in the offensive area and looked dangerous in the race. And while Hellebuyck kept the leaflets at a distance for most of the night (with the exception of a goal from Jamie Drysdale), it was Who else but Matvei Michkov who finally fell for him.
The 20 -year recruit continues to show that it has been built for great moments. With the game in play during the shooting, Michkov delivered an amazing movement that left Hellebuyck frozen – a hesitation, a film of the wrists, and the washer was at the back of the net even before the jet caretaker had the chance to react. It was the composure. It was art. It was exactly the kind of magic that the flyers considered when they drafted it.
Michkov has already established himself as one of the league’s highest young talents, and his confidence in clutch situations is the sky. His total shootout shots may not have counted for his total goal, but it was another recall that this child is a match breaker.
3. Leaflets can beat the best in the league – and they know it
Four consecutive victories against Winnipeg. Five consecutive matches with at least one point. A hard victory against a team that has driven many others this season. The flyers have not only stolen a victory – they deserved he.
And more than anything, this game has reinforced the conviction that when they play their game, flyers are a legitimate threat. Of course, they had their inconsistencies. But when they are composed – when they are structured defensively, when they play with creativity and confidence, when their goalkeeper is solid – they can go aside with anyone.
“I never have to worry about the difficulty of playing,” said head coach John Tortorella at Media Postg. “We play like a unit.”
It is a mentality that has been preparing for some time now. This team is not satisfied hope To win against higher competition. They to wait for has. There is a feeling of belief, an energy that radiates through the range. You see it in the way they celebrate, in the way they fight for the washers, in the way they react when a teammate makes a big game. They have fun and feed on the energy of the other.
Now they go home for a huge house of seven games – an opportunity to consolidate their place in the race for the playoffs. If they can carry this momentum, if they can strengthen the confidence of this victory, they will be in a strong position to continue to put pressure for a place of eliminatory series.
Final reflections
It was not just another regular season match. It was a measurement stick. The flyers clashed against one of the best NHL teams on the road, with a goalkeeper who had not played for weeks – and they came out in mind.
Ivan Fedotov delivered a goalkeeper clinic. Matvei Michkov added another dazzling moment to his already impressive recruit campaign. And the flyers, as a whole, have proven once again that they belong to the combat.
