Flyers Don’t Bounce Back, Lose 3-0 To The Islanders

The Flyers lost 3-0 at home to the New York Islanders and got shut out for the second straight night.

The Flyers played yesterday against the Devils in New Jersey and lost 5-0. In a game where they expected a bounce back, the Flyers couldn’t get any points and couldn’t solve Ilya Sorokin in the Wells Fargo Center.

Let’s recap the game.

In the first period, there weren’t many chances. Although, the Flyers had a 4-minute double-minor high-sticking power play. Matvei Michkov scored, but the goal was challenged by Patrick Roy for goalie interference. Morgan Frost was indeed touching Sorokin and was partially in the blue line. The Flyers weren’t able to score on that powerplay with around 1:56 left in the PP after the challenge.

Nothing much happened the rest of the period, The Islanders won the shot battle in the first period, 10-8 total.

In the second period, the Islanders scored the first goal of the game. Simon Holmstrom assisted by Scott Perunovich and Jean-Gabriel Pageau buried a shot, which hit the post and went in, from the middle of the ice, and beat Ivan Fedotov.

Holmstrom goes top shelf! #LGI | @Ford pic.twitter.com/TpiF3EhhAJ

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) January 31, 2025

After that goal, Michkov didn’t see the ice again. John Tortorella judged a poor defensive play from him and let him know in the Torts way.

This was a pretty surprising move since the Flyers are in the second game of a back-to-back with only 11 forwards on the bench since Frost wasn’t there. I guess Torts preferred to play with 10 forwards rather than having Michkov on the ice. ESPN also showed a heated discussion between Michkov and Torts, on the bench, after the goal.

Here's the heated exchange between John Tortorella and Matvei Michkov after the first Islanders goal. #Flyers pic.twitter.com/lDOFXC4WSc

— Flyers Nation (@FlyersNation) January 31, 2025

Thus doesn’t mean that the relationship between the two is “bad.” Tortorella said it has been a good conflict with Michkov. The Flyers want to coach him the right way because they believe he’s that special, per Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia. Torts says sitting is about Michkov owning responsibility.

Although, things wouldn’t get better after that decision from Torts. The Islanders scored their second goal of the game. Marc Gatcomb scored his first goal in his NHL career on a 2-on-0 after a bad change for the Flyers who couldn’t come back in time. The goal was assisted by Kyle MacLean and Maxim Tsyplakov.

GATCOMB'S FIRST IN THE NHL. @Ford | #LGI pic.twitter.com/yEnbLTuNvt

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) January 31, 2025

The third period was pretty uneventful like the first period. The Flyers had 20 minutes to come back but they didn’t generate much offense. Kyle Palmieri assisted by Casey Cizikas and Adam Pelech scored the third goal to end any hopes for the Flyers. The goal was scored at 4 on 4 where Palmieri passed Jamie Drysdale to beat Fedotov’s top corner.

MAKE THAT 3-0. #LGI | @Ford pic.twitter.com/yUZ0oBSI93

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) January 31, 2025

So, the Flyers lost their second straight game and are 5-4-1 in their past 10 games. They have 4 games left before the 4 Nations tournament. Two of the games will be against Metropolitan teams: February 6 against the Caps and February 8 against the Pens.

Their next game is on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. against the Colorado Avalanche in Denver, where the Flyers will have a chance to get back to .500

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