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Matvei Michkov gets first two goals of his career in Flyers OT loss: ‘I score, I score’

EDMONTON – Tuesday morning’s skate session had been over for a while, but there they were, sitting right next to each other in the visitors’ locker room at Rogers Place: Matvei Michkov, Morgan Frost to his left, and Frost’s left Travis Konecny.

There is still a language barrier between the Russian and the two Canadians, both of whom Michkov has aligned with. But when that language is hockey, they can apparently still have a diligent conversation.

There’s even some humor in it. Michkov apparently talked about trying to deflect pucks in front of the net, something coach John Tortorella has focused on over the last few practices. Michkov stood up, looked at his two teammates and held an imaginary stick in front of him. .

“I score, I score,” said Michkov. “TK pass, here,” he continued, keeping his hand well behind him, out of reach.

Laughter followed.

There was cheering later on Tuesday night.

Michkov scored the first two goals of his career – the first two of the game, both on the power play in the first period – in helping the Flyers earn a tough road point in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers, which got them moving. to 1-1-1 this season. Frost assisted on both, including the first which Michkov rammed through Stuart Skinner’s left pad from behind the net, while Konecny ​​helped set up the second with a patient and precise feed into the attacking zone to Owen Tippett, who then found Michkov for a difficult corner. timer at the bottom of the circle that beat Skinner to the short side.

“He talked about it; all he says is, ‘I score, I score,'” Frost said. “Sometimes the language barrier can make it a bit humorous. He is a passionate kid and wants to win, wants to score.”


“I think when the rookie comes in and there’s a big spotlight on him, that’s what drew his teammates to him,” coach John Tortorella said of rookie Matvei Michkov. (Amber Bracken/The Canadian Press via Associated Press)

After the first goal, Oilers coach Kris challenged Knoblauch for goaltender interference, making it unofficial. When it did, Michkov gave an emphatic fist pump before being mobbed on the bench by his teammates within range. Garnet Hathaway, who was sitting next to Michkov, immediately circled him with his right arm and gave him a few slightly violent but loving shakes.

“You could see how excited he was,” Hathaway said. ‘It’s also contagious, right? And he brings it every day.”

In a room where the Flyers value hard work above all else — they have to if they want to stay in games, especially against teams like Edmonton — Michkov fits right in.

Hathaway, Konecny ​​and Tortorella all said after the game that while they were impressed and pleased with Michkov’s goals, they noticed he was playing hard in other areas of the ice as well. Michkov was credited with a pair of blocked shots, including one on Mattias Ekholm with 4:09 left in the third period, as the Flyers still clung to a 3-2 lead before Evan Bouchard forced overtime.

“His skills are what will lead him, plus his competition,” Hathaway said. “It’s nice to see him rewarded. … Do you get opportunities, do you create and are you responsible in your own zone? I think he’s checking all those boxes.”

Tortorella said: “He is a dynamic player. … He also blocks shots. Doing all the other things that create that team camaraderie, that team concept. So that is very important.”

Still, Michkov’s work on the power play is very welcome. After finishing last in the league the past three seasons, the Flyers are off to a 4-for-15 start through three games. Michkov has handled three of those, with his two goals on Tuesday and an assist in Calgary on Saturday.

The Flyers scored multiple power-play goals in a game just four times in 82 games last season, and no one scored two power-play goals in the same game. Michkov did it in his third career match.

“I think we’re starting to build something,” said Frost, who is part of Michkov’s power-play unit along with Konecny, Tippett and Jamie Drysdale. “We are very close to setting it in stone. I think you can see some things there. We are still a bit late with some decisions and details, but we are playing well and getting more chances than in the past. Hopefully we can build on that.”

Konecny ​​​​said: “There are some good signs of what (Michkov) is capable of.”

Of course, completing a hat-trick in extra time would have been the perfect ending. Instead, Michkov was on the ice during the three-on-three when Travis Sanheim crashed into the corner boards, resulting in a Connor McDavid breakaway the other way. McDavid didn’t score on the attempt, but stayed with the puck and set up Leon Draisaitl for the game winner.

Although it was the Oilers’ first win in four tries, no one expects them to stay near the bottom of the rankings for long. Tortorella was satisfied with the game, which had little progress with eleven small penalties.

“I liked our game. “How many penalties were called, and some non-calls, you weren’t sure where the game was going to go,” he said. “But we kept our concentration and played.”

Frost said: “I thought we played a pretty good game overall. Boys sacrificed their bodies. We did a lot of the little things right. I thought we took down those top guys pretty well.

The Flyers play one more game on Thursday during their season-opening four-game road trip in Seattle. Home fans will finally get the chance to welcome Michkov in the home opener against Vancouver on Saturday.

It’s a given that Michkov will be welcomed to the Wells Fargo Center with a raucous ovation during player introductions. But that welcome may pale in comparison to how some of his teammates already feel about him.

“He likes to score. He is in the (difficult) areas,” Tortorella said. “I think when the rookie comes in and the big spotlight is on him, that’s what drew his teammates to him.”

“I think we’re having a good time,” Frost said, “and hopefully he’s having a good time being here.”

(Top photo of Matvei Michkov reacting to one of his two power-play goals in the first period against Edmonton: Amber Bracken / The Canadian Press via Associated Press)