The Flyers had another tight, low-scoring game Wednesday night and couldn’t win it as they fell to the Oilers, 2-1, in overtime at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Jack Roslovic scored the winner for Edmonton on a 2-on-0 opportunity after Cam York had a turnover.
The Flyers dropped to 4-3-3 in games decided by one goal. It was the seventh time they’ve gone to OT.
“Every game, it seems like it’s tight,” Rick Tocchet said. “We’ve just got to learn, we have the puck in overtime, hold onto it. We want to make plays and that’s the learning process — playing through pressure.”
Travis Konecny scored what could have been a game-winning goal for the Flyers on a deflection with 23.5 seconds remaining in regulation. But a league-initiated review determined that Owen Tippett was offside.
“I have to be more patient, I guess,” Tippett said, “but it happens.”
The Flyers (8-5-3), who came in with the NHL’s third-fewest shots per game at 24.8, had just six at the midway mark Wednesday night.
But Matvei Michkov provided a spark by burying a game-tying power play goal with 4:22 minutes left in the second period.
Despite the loss, Tocchet’s club extended its point streak to four games (2-0-2).
“We thought we had it won,” the Flyers’ head coach said. “We have some other things we’ve got to shore up, but there were some stretches where I liked our game.
“Everybody expected us to be in last place, so I’ve got to give these guys a lot of credit. I’m proud of them.”
The Oilers (8-6-4) went into the third period with a 25-11 shot advantage on the Flyers.
The Flyers face Edmonton again Jan. 3 when they visit the two-time defending Western Conference champs.
It looked like the Flyers scored what could have been the game-winning goal with under 30 seconds left in regulation. But after a review from the league, the play was deemed offside.
• Dan Vladar was excellent again, making 30 saves on 32 shots.
The 28-year-old has given up two or fewer goals in eight of his 10 starts.
He wasn’t too happy when Mattias Janmark ran into him with 5:35 minutes left in the third period. After some pushing and shoving, which included Vladar, the Flyers ended up on a power play, but failed to convert.
“It was just a hockey play, it happens,” Vladar said. “It’s going to happen again, I’m pretty sure, whether it’s me or someone else. Just emotions.”
The Oilers struck first with under a minute remaining in the opening stanza. Evan Bouchard blasted one off a nice feed from three-time MVP Connor McDavid, who finished with one point.
The Flyers have actually slowed down the superstar center in his visits to Philadelphia. They’re 6-2-1 at home against McDavid’s Oilers teams. In those nine matchups, they’ve held him to 10 points (three goals, seven assists).
But it has been a different story up at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, where McDavid has put up 24 points (eight goals, 16 assists) on the Flyers over nine games. The Flyers are just 2-6-1 in those matchups.
“Having the puck helps, making him play defense, making them stop and start,” Tocchet said after morning skate. “I don’t care who it is, any team with great players, you want to make them stop and start, so you try to muck it up a little bit, too. He’s going to get his looks, he’s just too good of a player.”
Oilers netminder Stuart Skinner stopped 20 of the Flyers’ 21 shots.
Dan Vladar and the Flyers were not happy after the Oilers ran into the goalie during the third period Wednesday night.
• Michkov is really starting to find his form.
The 20-year-old winger has recorded a goal in three straight games. He now has four on the season and nine points.
He just looks like that dynamic scorer from last season when he delivered 26 goals and 63 points as a rookie.
His skating is there, he’s holding onto the puck and he’s determined to shoot it.
More: How Flyers are ‘staying with it’ on Michkov’s learning process
When the Flyers needed it the most Wednesday, Matvei Michkov came through on the power play. His fourth goal of the season tied the game at 1-1.
• Tyson Foerster was activated off injured reserve and returned to the lineup after missing the last four games because of a blocked shot.
To make room on the roster, the Flyers loaned Carl Grundstrom back to AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley.
The 23-year-old Foerster was back on his regular line with Noah Cates and Bobby Brink.
• Next up for the Flyers is a back-to-back road set as the club visits the Blues on Friday (8 p.m. ET/NBCSP+) and Stars on Saturday (8 p.m. ET/NBCSP).
