The Philadelphia Flyers’ 4–1 win in Montreal on Tuesday night was exactly what the doctor ordered—controlled, structured, and quietly authoritative; the kind of road performance that tells you a team understands what it takes to win in difficult buildings.
In a rink that has historically swallowed visiting teams whole, the Flyers dictated long stretches of play, absorbed pressure without panic, and turned a tied game into a decisive road victory.
1. Dan Vladar Came Up Huge.
The Flyers have sung the praises of both of their goalies this entire season, and as the starter against the Canadiens, Dan Vladar continued to prove why this team can have so much trust in their netminders.
He allowed just one goal, but more importantly, he made saves at moments where Montreal had real momentum. There were several sequences—particularly early and just after the Flyers took the lead—where Vladar was forced into difficult lateral movements and quick reactions through traffic. He handled them calmly and decisively.
That steadiness has become a theme. Vladar has now allowed two goals or fewer in 13 of his 20 starts, and he has already matched his win total from last season. The Flyers don’t need him to steal games every night, but they do need him to prevent the kind of soft swing goals that can flip road games quickly. In Montreal, he did exactly that. The Canadiens had looks, especially off broken plays, but Vladar erased them before they turned into extended pressure.
2. Carl Grundstrom is Turning Opportunity into Leverage.
Grundstrom’s opening goal wasn’t just another entry on the scoresheet—it was a continuation of a clear trend. Since entering the lineup consistently on Dec. 9, he has four points in five games, and the production aligns with how he’s playing rather than feeling opportunistic or accidental.
What stands out most is how direct his game has been. Grundstrom isn’t trying to do too much with the puck. He’s arriving in scoring areas on time, finishing plays, and making quick, purposeful decisions when possession changes. That simplicity has made him effective, especially in games like this where space is limited and mistakes get punished quickly.
There’s also an undeniable edge to his performance lately. He looks like a player who understands the fragility of his roster spot and is playing accordingly. That doesn’t mean pressing—it means being reliable shift after shift. Right now, he’s making a strong case that he belongs in the lineup beyond short-term injury fill-ins, and the Flyers are benefitting from that urgency.
3. Rasmus Ristolainen’s Return Brought Exactly What the Flyers Needed.
After missing significant time following surgery for a ruptured tricep tendon, Rasmus Ristolainen’s season debut could have gone in a number of directions. Instead, it was exactly what the Flyers would have hoped for: simple, physical, and quietly effective.
Ristolainen logged 19:18 of ice time, delivered three hits, blocked two shots, and rarely put himself in vulnerable positions. He wasn’t trying to do too much offensively, and he didn’t need to. His value came in board battles, net-front coverage, and making sure plays ended when they were supposed to end. That presence mattered, especially against a Montreal team that thrives on chaos and second chances.
Trevor Zegras told media postgame that Ristolainen was “phenomenal” and “an absolute moose out there.” In his signature humorous way, Zegras perfectly summed up the value of the Finnish defenseman—Ristolainen brought a physical certainty to the Flyers’ back end that had been missing. If he can maintain this level—assertive without being reckless—he becomes a stabilizing piece rather than a variable.
4. Trevor Zegras Continues Making Headlines.
Zegras’ goal in his 300th NHL game extended his goal streak to four games—the longest of his career—and tied the longest active goal streak in the league. But what’s notable isn’t just the scoring. It’s how he’s arriving there.
He isn’t overhandling pucks, chasing highlight plays, or drifting out of structure. Instead, he’s finding soft ice, shooting decisively, and letting plays come to him. That balance has allowed his offensive instincts to shine without undermining team play, and it’s a big reason he now leads all skaters on new teams this season with 33 points.
5. The Flyers Sustain Success on the Road.
This win pushed the Flyers to 4-0-1 in their last five road games and 7-2-1 since Nov. 1, a stretch that ranks among the league’s best in road points percentage. That doesn’t happen by accident.
What’s consistent in these performances is structure. The Flyers manage the puck better away from home, they don’t chase the game unnecessarily, and they’re comfortable absorbing pressure before countering. They also appear unbothered by momentum swings—something that showed again when they responded after falling behind.
This wasn’t a dramatic comeback or an emotional survival act. It was a professional road win built on timely scoring, goaltending, and defensive discipline. Snapping a three-game losing streak in Montreal, of all places, only reinforces that this team understands how to travel—and more importantly, how to win when it does.
Bonus: Matvei Michkov's Pickpocket Masterclass.
We just have to have a moment for Matvei Michkov's steal to set up Bobby Brink for the Flyers' third goal of the night.