Flyers Dominate Canucks In Convincing 5-2 Victory, Bolstering Playoff Push
The Philadelphia Flyers delivered a statement performance on Monday night, exploding for four goals in the third period to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 5-2 at Xfinity Mobile Arena. This impressive win not only showcased the team's depth and resilience but also provided a significant boost as the Flyers continue their charge toward ending a lengthy playoff drought in the 2025-26 season.
Goaltender Dan Vladar was stellar in net, turning aside 23 of 25 shots for the victory, while Thatcher Demko stopped 34 of 38 for Vancouver. The Flyers outshot the Canucks and controlled much of the play, particularly in a dominant final frame that turned a close game into a rout.
Nikita Grebenkin led the charge with a goal and an assist, marking his first career multi-point game in style. The young forward's contributions highlighted Philadelphia's emerging talent pool. Carl Grundstrom added his fourth goal of the season, Christian Dvorak continued his strong first year in orange and black with his eighth tally (bringing him to 24 points, third on the team), and Owen Tippett scored for the second straight game.
Photo Credit: Matt Perretta/Olde City Sports Network
Rookie sensation Matvei Michkov sealed the win with an empty-net goal, reaching 20 points (9 goals, 11 assists) on the season. Veterans also chipped in meaningfully: Trevor Zegras extended his career-high point streak to eight games with an assist, pushing him to 36 points; Travis Konecny recorded a helper (one away from 300 career assists); Cam York earned a point for the third consecutive game; and Noah Cates prolonged his streak to three games.
On the blue line, Emil Andrae picked up an assist, giving him points in three of his last four contests. Since increasing his ice time on November 14, Andrae's 10 points (1 goal, 9 assists) rank second among Flyers defensemen. Rodrigo Abols also impressed with two assists—his first multi-point outing and back-to-back games with points.
This victory comes at a pivotal time for the Flyers, who are firmly in the mix for a wild-card spot in the tightly contested Eastern Conference. With contributions up and down the lineup—from rookies like Grebenkin and Michkov to seasoned players like Dvorak and Zegras—Philadelphia is demonstrating the balance and momentum needed for a late-season surge.
The two teams will rematch on December 30 in Vancouver, offering the Flyers another opportunity to build on this momentum. As the holiday break approaches, this kind of complete effort positions Philadelphia well to snap their playoff absence and make noise in the postseason. The Orange and Black are clicking at the right time, and Flyers fans have plenty of reason for optimism heading into the new year.
Jesse Bell/Olde City Sports Network
Photo Credit: Matt Perretta/Olde City Sports Network
