Breakaway on SI

Flyers Rookie Steals Show in Return

After multiple healthy scratches, the Philadelphia Flyers saw their superstar rookie put up multiple points in his return to the lineup.

Nick Horwat

Oct 27, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers right wing Matvei Michkov (39) against the Montreal Canadiens at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Oct 27, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers right wing Matvei Michkov (39) against the Montreal Canadiens at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
In this story:

Despite a hot start to his rookie campaign, Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella saw Matvei Michkov go four straight games without a point and decided action needed to be taken. Tortorella healthy scratched Michkov from the Flyers lineup for a pair of games, saying it was part of the learning process.

After two games away, Michkov not only returned to the Flyers’ lineup, but made some noise along the way. In a game that featured multiple possible Calder Trophy candidates, it’s was Michkov that stood out the most.

Going up against Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, and the rest of the San Jose Sharks, it was Michkov who made his presence felt.

While leading 1-0 already, the Flyers found themselves on the power play and Michkov set up Travis Konecny for a perfect one-time goal. Michkov kept a feed from Emil Andrea moving with a one-touch pass to Konecny that he swept straight into the top corner of the net.

In the early stages of the second period, Michkov padded the Flyers’ lead with a breakaway goal. Ryan Poehling found Michkov behind a pair of Sharks defenders and in open ice. Michkov balanced the blue line to stay onside, then buried a shot five-hole for a 3-0 lead.

The Flyers ended up surrendering three straight goals and went to overtime with the Sharks, but not before Michkov made his presence known in a different way. With time expiring in regulation, Michkov got in a bit of a scrum with Celebrini and caught him up high.

Michkov was given a two-minute minor penalty and was forced to start overtime in the penalty box.

The entire overtime came and went without a goal, forcing overtime, another chance for Michkov to put his skill on display. Celebrini was stopped on his shootout attempt, but Michkov immediately followed that with a slick move to put the Flyers ahead.

Konecny buried the game-winner in the shootout, but this was clearly a revenge game for Michkov. A goal and an assist plus a shootout helper in his return to the lineup will make it hard for Tortorella to ever healthy scratch Michkov again.

Make sure you bookmark Breakaway OnSI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more! 

Published
Nick Horwat
NICK HORWAT

Home/News Feed Page