The Philadelphia Flyers didn’t play a perfect game in St. Louis. They didn’t even play a particularly clean one. But they found a way to survive a chaotic, back-and-forth track meet and leave Missouri with two points after a 6–5 shootout win — the first leg of their back-to-back, and a game played in front of their fathers on the annual Dads’ Trip.
1. Tippett–Dvorak–Zegras Played Like a No. 1 Line — and Scored Like One
There are “good nights” for a line, and then there are nights like this, where a trio essentially carries the entire offensive load themselves. Owen Tippett, Christian Dvorak, and Trevor Zegras scored all five of the Flyers’ regulation goals and put on an offensive masterclass in the process.
What stood out wasn’t just the production. It was how varied the production was. Tippett attacked with pace, beating defenders wide and forcing St. Louis to sag back. Zegras threaded passes through traffic that most players wouldn’t attempt, let alone land. Dvorak did the thankless work: wall battles, play extension, middle-lane presence.
This wasn’t opportunistic scoring. It was well-built offense. The line consistently manipulated St. Louis’ defensive structure, forcing mismatches and creating shooting lanes through motion and quick support.
The Flyers have searched all season for combinations that generate offense without sacrificing structure. This one might be more than a temporary hot hand.
2. Sam Ersson’s Regulation Struggles Didn’t Bleed Into the Skills Competition
Ersson’s night was complicated. The Blues scored five times, and the rhythm of the game never truly settled. Odd bounces, broken plays, defensive lapses — it was one of those nights where every shot looked threatening.
But the important part came after 65 minutes.
Ersson’s shootout performance was, once again, almost unnervingly calm. He didn’t bite early. He didn’t overplay angles. He didn’t give shooters anything clean to look at. And he stopped all three attempts from the Blues with the poise of someone who processes the shootout like a routine drill.
The Flyers don’t want to rely on shootouts, but they undeniably have an advantage when they get there. Ersson is a icy-veined tactician in those moments — one of the best — and while shootouts are inherently stressful moments, it's almost fun to watch Ersson stonewall every shooter that tries to find a way around him.
Sam Ersson (33). (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News)3. The Flyers’ Resilience Is Becoming a Real Strength
St. Louis scored. Then scored again. Then scored again. And every time, the Flyers punched back.
What was notable wasn’t just the response goals — it was the timing. The Flyers didn’t let deficits linger long enough to tilt the game into collapse territory. They reset quickly, re-established their forecheck, and forced the Blues to defend instead of piling on.
There was a time when these kinds of swings had a way of unraveling the Flyers. In this game, they’ve managed momentum better — even when the scoreboards look like pinball machines.
4. A Chaotic Night, but a Valuable Win
The Flyers don’t have time to dissect this one too deeply — the second leg of the back-to-back arrives immediately against Dallas. But they should take something from it.
They won a track meet. They got elite support scoring from a line that has become increasingly central to their identity. Their goalie shook off a difficult night and owned the shootout. And they banked two points in a game where their defensive details slipped far more than Tocchet would like.
Not every win will look clean. Not every win will be controlled. But the Flyers have watched points slip away under incredibly frustrating circumstances lately, so a hard-fought two points will be very, very welcome.