Brad Shaw Starts Off Hot as Flyers End the Losing Streak in 6-4 Win Over Montreal

A new face for the Flyers starts off strong as Brad Shaw leads the team to a comfortable victory against a playoff-hopeful team, the Canadiens.

Although reaching for a top spot in this upcoming NHL Draft, the Flyers show what they can achieve with a new setting behind the bench. Overall, this team took the ice with more speed, skill, and effort than in prior showings this year.

Michkov gets the last laugh in Philadelphia

Throughout the 2024-2025 season for the Flyers, it was clear there was something between head coach John Tortorella and rookie Matvei Michkov. Whether there was verbal tension or Michkov found himself on the bench, something did not settle between the two. It was found earlier this morning that Tortorella would be relieved of his duties as the head coach.

Without these weights on Michkov’s shoulder, he seemed looser, faster, and happier with a stat line to prove it. Matvei had two of the six goals scored by the Flyers in a three-point performance. Even more relieving is the fact that Michkov played a promising 20:29.

On top of that, Michkov climbs another step in this year’s Calder race, as he is the new leading goal scorer among the rookies this year.

Oh Captain! My Captain!

Along with a two-goal performance from Michkov, Sean Couturier went to his vintage self with a two-goal game of his own. With two goals and an assist against Montreal tonight, Coots now has eight points in his last five games with four goals and four assists over the stretch.

If two goals weren’t good enough, Couturier scored one of those on the power play, ending that story for the month of March. With five shots on goal, his wrist shot looks to be relaxed and easy, which had not been the case throughout the year.

Although more games for the captain to prove himself, he has definitely sealed a chunk of his case with tonight’s performance.

Coots, there it is. #MTLvsPHI | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/ZbimnPRLYK

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 28, 2025

Is the Win Worth Falling Back in the Tank Race?

A win is nice, especially when one hasn’t come since March 13, but how does this spoiler game against the Canadiens hurt us in this year’s tank race? The Flyers stand at sixty-seven points as of now, with Buffalo and Seattle having a one-point advantage over their ranking at sixty-six points.

With eight games remaining on the calendar, the Flyers don’t have that much room when it comes to racking up late-season points. Although in those games are two important games against the Sabres and the Nashville Predators, who sit at sixty-two points on the year.

Regardless of the race against Buffalo, Seattle, and Nashville, a win is a win. You have to feel good for Shaw in his new position as he leads his new team to six goals. For anyone tuning into tonight’s game, Shaw looked to be a veteran head coach with years of experience working with all different kinds of NHL players. He seemed like he knew what he was doing with the lines, as Nicolas Deslauriers picked up his first goal of the season tonight as well. Only time will tell how Shaw handles this Flyers team for the rest of the season.

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