3 Takeaways From Flyers’ 5-4 Loss to Ducks

When the Philadelphia Flyers and Anaheim Ducks agreed to a headline-stealing trade on Jan. 8, 2024, they may not have realized they were also creating a new rivalry. Every time the Ducks have come to Philadelphia since, a new development between the cross-coast orange clubs has followed.

Game 1 in 2025 was all about the initial trade — Cutter Gauthier for Jamie Drysdale and a second-round pick. The spice increased last year with Trevor Zegras, now on the other side, trading early goals with Gauthier. This time, Leo Carlsson stepped into the spotlight, playing his first game against the Flyers since signing a five-year, $90 million offer sheet with Philadelphia that Anaheim matched, a contract with league-wide ramifications.

But Saturday’s showdown, Philadelphia’s first matinee game of the 2026-27 season, had something Anaheim’s last two trips to Xfinity Mobile Arena didn’t: a competitive game. It looked like the Flyers were on their way to a third straight blowout when they jumped out to a 2-0 lead. But Anaheim, needing a win after five straight regulation losses, refused to go quietly.

The Ducks tied it with a quick second-period burst and wouldn’t let a short-handed goal sap their momentum. The Flyers delivered their highest offensive output of the season, scoring at least three goals for the third straight game after failing to do so in their first nine contests. However, it wasn’t enough, as Anaheim’s 5-4 win kept the Flyers from digging out of their 0-6-3 hole.

Marvelous Michkov

Matvei Michkov contributed to the offensive barrage in his first Ducks-Flyers clash, scoring a power-play goal in a 6-0 Philadelphia rout back in January 2025. He was just a rookie then, with the sky-high expectations for his career still hanging in the balance. It will take more than 13 games to establish that, but the 22-year-old looks well on his way.

Michkov opened the scoring, showcasing improved mobility and skating to open a shooting lane in the high slot. Yes, it was a 5-on-3 goal, but the Flyers have been desperate for offense in that area for a while (more on that below). Michkov has been bringing it there lately, extending his point streak to five games with his fifth power-play point during that span.

His underlying numbers weren’t the best in this game, but Michkov showed consistent strength along the boards and moved the puck efficiently. He continued to show a nose for the net by jamming in a loose puck behind Lukáš Dostál to bring the Flyers within a goal in the third period. And he’s had more time to showcase his skills lately, cracking 18 minutes of time on ice for the second straight game, the first time that’s happened under Rick Tocchet. In fact, he cleared 18 minutes once in 2025-26, back on Oct. 16.

Opening the Door

The Flyers felt good after 20 minutes, with a fourth straight win looking likely. However, one mistake, a turnover by Joseph Woll behind the net, opened the floodgates. Carlsson started the scoring for the Ducks 8:38 into the second period, the first of five Anaheim tallies in an 18:32 span. The first four all came at 5-on-5, Philadelphia’s poorest defensive showing in two weeks.

There’s blame to go all around. Woll delivered his first clunker in his seventh start as a Flyer. He atoned for the turnover with two incredible backdoor saves on Gauthier late in the second, but Anaheim’s go-ahead goal early in the third was brutal. Tristan Luneau, who scored two goals in 24 NHL games entering the afternoon, took a routine wrist shot from the right circle that inexplicably slipped under Woll’s left shoulder.