Ducks rally past Flyers to end five-game losing streak
Luneau has 3 points, Carlsson has goal, assist; Michkov scores twice for Philadelphia
By Adam Kimelman
NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor
PHILADELPHIA -- Tristan Luneau had a goal and two assists, and the Anaheim Ducks ended a five-game losing streak with a 5-4 win against the Philadelphia Flyers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Saturday.
It was the defenseman's first three-point NHL game.
"Feels good," Luneau said. "Always feels good when the team wins, and you felt like you contributed in that game. I think overall everyone did a great job today and contributed. I think it was a team win tonight."
Leo Carlsson had a goal and an assist for the Ducks (5-6-0), who lost all five in regulation during the skid. Lukas Dostal made 28 saves.
"Way better team game this game," Carlsson said. "Obviously, to go down 2-0, they get the 5-on-3 (power play), it was a little tough. But (we) came back in the game. Pretty good."
Matvei Michkov scored twice, and Porter Martone had a goal and an assist for the Flyers (3-7-3), who had won three straight games after losing their first nine (0-6-3) this season. Joseph Woll made 21 saves.
"There's lots to like about our game, but the ability to win this game, it stings because I thought this was a game we should have won, I think," Philadelphia coach Rick Tocchet said. "But we let them off the hook with whatever the factors."
Michkov gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead during a 5-on-3 power play at 13:59 of the first period with a shot through traffic from atop the face-off circles.
Martone's power-play goal made at 15:02 made it 2-0, a tap-in of Travis Sanheim's seam pass at the right post.
Carlsson cut it to 2-1 at 8:38 of the second period with a one-timer from the slot off a pass from behind the net by Cutter Gauthier.
"That first period, that 5-on-3 right off the bat put us in a tough spot, and I thought we still continued on the battle, and got ourselves so once we got the one goal, I thought our game changed completely," Anaheim coach Joel Quenneville said.
A.J. Greer tied it 2-2 at 13:07 after it was ruled his shot that went off the far post and Woll's skate completely crossed the goal line.
Tyson Foerster gave Philadelphia a 3-2 lead with a short-handed goal at 15:04, a shot along the ice from the right side that got under Dostal's pads.
Judd Caulfield tied it 3-3 at 16:19 on a redirection of Alex Killorn’s pass.
"I think we kind of got away from how we were playing," Flyers forward Noah Cates said. "... In the second there, kind of allowed them off the hook, didn't get pucks all the way in, whatever it might be, to kind of change the momentum of the game. They got a little more possession, they're feeling it a little bit instead of us getting on the forecheck and hemming them in and playing our game."
Luneau put the Ducks ahead 4-3 at 2:00 of the third period when his shot from the right side found room between Woll's arm and body.
"When he has confidence, he's insane," Carlsson said. "He's just got to have the confidence all the time, because he's a great defenseman in this league. He's super fast, strong, can do everything. So excited to see his future."
Beckett Sennecke made it 5-3 with a power-play goal at 7:10, redirecting Carlsson's feed between Woll's pads.
Michkov's second goal made it 5-4 at 8:17. The forward jumped into the crease to knock a loose puck under Dostal.
He has eight points (six goals, two assists) during a five-game point streak.
"Just shooting pucks, his confidence, his playmaking ability, it's off the charts," Cates said. "When he's going and he's feeling it, he's making those plays, but he's also playing smart, he's skating well. ... He's really helping us get out of that tough stretch to start the year and he's been a key contributor for us, and he needs to keep going."
NOTES: It was Carlsson's first game against the Flyers since signing a five-year, $90 million offer sheet with them on July 3 that was matched by the Ducks six days later. ... Sennecke's power-play goal was Anaheim’s first in 15 chances (five games). … Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen returned for Philadelphia after missing nine games because of an upper-body injury. He had one shot on goal and three hits in 14:34 of ice time. … Flyers forward Trevor Zegras (two assists) extended his point streak to four games (seven points; two goals, five assists). ... Martone and Michkov's goals were 1:03 apart, the fastest two power-play goals in the NHL this season.
