It was a roller coaster of a night at the Wells Fargo Center.
Although the Flyers lost 4-3 to Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals on Thursday, the Orange and Black’s future was on display. Finally arriving after being acquired from the Calgary Flames in the early minutes of Jan. 31, Jakob Pelletier and Andrei Kuzmenko watched the second period from the team’s management suite atop the Wells Fargo Center.
As they spoke to general manager Danny Brière and president Keith Jones, Matvei Michkov was putting on a show. He notched a pair of goals after he came close twice in the first 5 minutes — one on a backhand as he cut across down to the slot and the other just over a minute later as he got behind the defense after receiving a pass from Sean Couturier.
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He did give the Flyers a 1-0 lead in the first period on a breakaway. Michkov skated through the neutral zone — some would say he was hanging out or cherry-picking — and it worked as he got a stretch pass from Travis Sanheim up the opposite side.
The rookie notched his 15th goal of the season, snapping an eight-game drought, with a wrister from the slot past Washington goalie Charlie Lindgren.
Michkov’s second goal of the night gave the Flyers a 3-2 lead in the second. Breaking out on a two-on-one with Couturier, which became a two-on-two, he fed the trailing Jamie Drysdale. The defenseman slid the puck over to Rodrigo Ābols, who sent a shot-pass over to the cutting Michkov for the tap-in.
The Russian rookie now has 16 goals and 36 points on the season. Entering Thursday night, he trailed San Jose Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini in goals (17) and Montreal Canadiens rookies Lane Hutson in points (41).
In between Michkov’s markers were a trio of goals.
Ovechkin tied the game at 1-1 in the first period after receiving a pass from Martin Fehérváry as he trailed the play. The Capitals’ blueliner sent a pass to Ovechkin for the snap shot past his countryman Ivan Fedotov. The goal gives “The Great 8” 879 NHL goals, putting him 16 away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record.
Early in the second period, Washington took a 2-1 lead on a redirect by Connor McMichael from the left post, but Tyson Foerster tied it up 3 minutes, 6 seconds later. On the power play, the forward deflected in a one-timer by Emil Andrae from the point.
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But in the third, the Capitals retook the lead. Lars Eller scored on a snap shot from above the circles to tie the game, 3-3. Jakob Chychrun gave Washington a 4-3 lead with 7:55 remaining on a shot from the left circle that sneaked between Fedotov and the post.
The Flyers had a few chances in the waning minutes with Bobby Brink coming close and Drysdale getting denied on a quick shot during a two-on-one. Foerster came close in the final seconds.
Breakaways
Michkov has three multi-goal games. … Forward Owen Tippett and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen did not play. … The third period was delayed as the Wells Fargo Center ice needed some repairs in the Capitals’ zone. … Fedotov is the 180th goalie to allow a goal to Ovechkin. … The Flyers have lost five straight and seven of eight.
Up next
The Flyers will practice on Friday before hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday in the team’s final game before the 4 Nations Face-Off (7 p.m., NBCSP).