Sports · NEWS EXPLAINER
Flyers beat Senators 3–1 for first win: Michkov and Martone end a nine-game skid
Philadelphia answered Ottawa’s opening goal with two second-period scores, then Dan Vladar protected a one-goal lead. The win ended the worst season-opening skid in Flyers history.
Philadelphia beat Ottawa 3–1 at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 17, earning its first victory after a franchise-record 0-6-3 start. Matvei Michkov and Porter Martone each had a goal and an assist, Dan Vladar made 25 saves, and Trevor Zegras sealed the result into an empty net.
Ottawa scored first, but the response came in the same period
The first period ended scoreless despite Philadelphia holding a 14–8 edge in shots. Ottawa moved ahead at 5:55 of the second when Claude Giroux carried a two-on-one and fed Drake Batherson for a one-timer.
Philadelphia answered at 9:03. Michkov recovered the puck in the offensive zone and sent a shot-pass toward the crease, where Martone redirected it past Linus Ullmark. The four-minute response matters because the Flyers had allowed the first goal in eight of their first 10 games.
Martone and Michkov reversed roles for the winner
At 18:33 of the second period, Martone fired from the left side on a Philadelphia power play. Ullmark made the first stop, but the rebound reached Michkov at the net for the 2–1 goal.
Each young forward finished with a goal and an assist, Philadelphia’s first multi-point performances by forwards this season. NHL.com also records the goal as Michkov’s 50th in the league; the milestone does not change the game sequence, but it confirms the finishing touch on the winning play.
Vladar protected the lead when Ottawa had its best chance
Dan Vladar made 25 saves. Early in the third period, Nikolas Matinpalo’s shot knocked off his mask and Warren Foegele hit the post on a rebound. With just over five minutes left, Ottawa received a power play after Tyson Foerster’s delay-of-game penalty.
Vladar held the one-goal margin. Ottawa pulled Ullmark with 2:27 remaining but did not record a shot on goal with the extra attacker, according to NHL.com. Trevor Zegras then scored into the empty net with 14 seconds left.
The result ended a record start, not every underlying concern
Philadelphia improved to 1-6-3 after opening with nine straight losses, the worst start in franchise history. It was also the first time this season the Flyers scored more than two goals; they had totaled 11 through the first nine games.
One 3–1 win does not erase the earlier scoring problem. It does provide a clear checklist for how this game changed: a stronger first-period shot count, a quick answer after conceding, one power-play conversion and a late penalty kill.
Ottawa’s separate postgame checks
Ullmark made 25 saves but lost for the first time after winning his first six starts. That six-start run matched Ray Emery’s 2005–06 mark for the best opening win streak by an Ottawa goaltender.
NHL.com reported that defenseman Thomas Chabot did not play in the third period because of an upper-body injury, and coach Travis Green had no update after the game. This report does not diagnose Chabot or project his availability.
