Flyers move into second place behind lopsided win over Canucks originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Nikita Grebenkin and Dan Vladar had strong efforts Monday night as the Flyers took care of the Canucks, 5-2, at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
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Grebenkin was excellent. He scored the Flyers’ first goal in the second period and then made a nifty move to set up Carl Grundstrom’s third-period marker. Not even two minutes after Grundstrom’s goal, Christian Dvorak made it 3-0.
“He was flying around, he was everywhere, making great plays,” Dvorak said of Grebenkin. “That’s huge for the team.”
After Vancouver got on the board, Owen Tippett responded with a highlight-reel goal.
“That was a hell of a goal,” Rick Tocchet said. … “When he gets engaged, that’s when you know he’s playing. He has got to get engaged right from the start because he can do those things.”
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Matvei Michkov added an empty-netter.
The Flyers (18-10-7) took over second place in a crowded Metropolitan Division, via the tiebreaker of fewer games played than the Capitals.
“There’s still tons of season left and a lot of games to be played,” Tippett said. “I think we can take the positives from it, but we’ve still got a long way to go. We have what happened a couple of years ago on our mind, too.”
Tocchet’s club has recorded at least a point in 18 of its last 23 games (12-5-6).
“We’ve got to earn what we earn,” the head coach said. “We’re not a perfect team, but there’s a lot of fight. … You’ve got to give these guys credit, they don’t give up.”
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The Flyers see the Canucks (15-18-3) again in a little over a week when they visit Rogers Arena. It’ll be Tocchet’s return to Vancouver, where he spent parts of the last three seasons as head coach.
• Vladar was back in net after missing the Flyers’ 5-4 shootout loss to the Rangers two days ago because of an upper-body injury.
The 28-year-old was his reliable self, converting 23 saves on 25 shots. It was the 14th time Vladar has given up two or fewer goals in 21 starts with the Flyers.
“Vladdy was there for us when we needed him,” Tocchet said, “and then I thought all four lines contributed tonight.”
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Max Sasson got the Canucks on the board. It came in the third period when the Flyers had a 3-0 lead. Vancouver scored one more in garbage time.
Canucks netminder Thatcher Demko stopped 34 of the Flyers’ 38 shots.
Grebenkin cracked him with 6:47 minutes left in the second period when he redirected an Emil Andrae shot. It was good work by Grebenkin to create space in front without clipping Demko.
For Andrae, the assist was his 10th point in 25 games this season. The 23-year-old defenseman has been really good on both sides of the puck.
“They call it bucket plays — when there’s no play and he’ll keep it, it takes a lot of courage,” Tocchet said. “A lot of D will just get rid of it and give it to somebody. But he’ll hold it in his feet, let the coverage come to him and that’s a big play, instead of just throwing pucks away.”
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• Dvorak returned to the lineup after missing the team’s loss in New York with a lower-body injury.
His third-period goal put the Flyers in total control. Trevor Zegras extended his point streak to eight games with an assist on the play.
Rodrigo Abols had two helpers on the night.
Garnet Hathaway and Nicolas Deslauriers were the Flyers’ healthy scratches up front.
• Michkov snapped a 10-game goal-scoring drought. He deserved the empty-netter because he was real active and played around the net all night.
• Denver Barkey has played well in two games on a line with Tippett and Sean Couturier.
Couturier was impressed by Barkey’s poise in the 20-year-old’s NHL debut at Madison Square Garden. Barkey had two assists and drew a penalty, which led to a power play goal.
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“When you give him the puck, he’s looking to make plays, he’s not nervous with the puck,” Couturier said after morning skate. “It’s nice to see that from a young guy. Coming in, sometimes guys can be intimidated and just get rid of the puck or not find that extra second that you think you don’t have. But he adapted quite well.”
• The Flyers are right back at it Tuesday when they visit the Blackhawks (9 p.m. ET/TNT) for their final game before the NHL holiday break, which runs Wednesday through Friday.
