The Philadelphia Flyers matched their season-best winning streak of three games with a 2-1 decision Monday night over the Nashville Predators at the Wells Fargo Center. Ryan Poehling and Jamie Drysdale provided the Flyers' markers, with Poehling now boasting seven goals in his last ten games. Matvei Michkov and Travis Konecny each contributed two assists, with Konecny just one helper away from reaching the impressive milestone of 50 assists this season.
In goal, Ivan Fedotov was stellar, converting 28 saves on 29 shots to earn his first win since March 1. The Flyers, now sitting at 31-36-9, have gone 3-0-0 under interim head coach Brad Shaw, scoring an impressive 15 goals over these three games. This marks the fifth time this season the Flyers have achieved a three-game winning streak, a feat they haven't accomplished more than three times since the stretch of February 6-12 of last season, when they won four in a row.
In their latest matchup, the Flyers swept the two-game regular-season series against the Predators (27-39-8). They previously secured a 3-2 overtime win in Nashville on the eve of Thanksgiving, although two of the Flyers' three goal scorers from that night were not in the lineup for the rematch due to trades.
Michkov's recent surge continued as the 20-year-old rookie played an exceptional two-man game with Konecny, setting up Poehling's game-opening goal in the second period. Just 34 seconds after the Predators tied the game at 1-1, Michkov and Konecny assisted Drysdale's go-ahead goal, showcasing their chemistry on the ice.
Over the last 21 games, Michkov has accumulated 24 points, consisting of 10 goals and 14 assists. Notably, he is currently on a six-game point streak, during which he has recorded 11 points (four goals, seven assists). Michkov is just two points away from reaching the 60-point mark this season and leads all NHL rookies with 24 goals.
Fedotov's performance was crucial, particularly during the third period, where he made several key stops to secure the victory. Nashville's backup goaltender, Justus Annunen, managed to stop 16 of the Flyers' 18 shots, but it wasn't enough to keep his team in the game.
The Flyers' top defensive pair of Travis Sanheim and Nick Seeler proved to be solid once again, with Seeler stepping up defensively in the closing minutes of the game. Additionally, Garnet Hathaway made his return from an upper-body injury, celebrating his 600th career NHL game after missing nearly all of March due to a blindsided hit received at the end of February.
Looking ahead, Karsen Dorwart, a recent signing out of Michigan State, is expected to join the team for practice on Wednesday. Shaw mentioned that the 22-year-old center will likely make his NHL debut during the Flyers' next game on Saturday, April 5, against the Canadiens. Dorwart, who stands at 6-foot-1 and weighs 195 pounds, will wear No. 23 when he steps onto the ice for the first time.
As the Flyers gear up for their next matchup, they have four days to prepare before heading to Montreal for a 7 p.m. ET game on Saturday. They are scheduled to practice on Wednesday and Friday at 11 a.m. ET in Voorhees, New Jersey.
Overall, the Flyers' recent performances under Shaw have rekindled hope among fans as they continue to fight through the final stretch of the season.
