The Philadelphia Flyers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers] wrapped up their home schedule for 2025 with a 5–2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. It was the first of two meetings between the clubs this season, with a rematch coming next week, and Philadelphia’s success was rooted in repeatable habits rather than isolated moments of brilliance. This was a game driven by depth, structure along the boards, and an ability to recognize what Vancouver was giving them—and then exploit it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. NIKITA GREBENKIN’S NIGHT WAS A CASE STUDY IN ROLE CLARITY. Nikita Grebenkin’s first career multi-point game (one goal, one assist) was exactly what the 22-year-old needed after some struggles to find his place within the Flyers lineup this season. His goal came from exactly the area the Flyers want him to live in, and Rick Tocchet didn’t shy away from pointing that out afterward. “[His] goal—that’s what I saw in training camp,” Tocchet said postgame. “He was around the net, and then behind it, he made a hell of a play… I think that goal really helps. That’s the places where he’s got to go… He’s a pest out there. That’s where he’s at his best.” That description fits the tape. Grebenkin wasn’t floating on the perimeter or forcing offense; he was winning inside position, disrupting defenders, and creating second chances. His assist came from behind the net, a byproduct of pressure rather than finesse. When Grebenkin is around the blue paint and below the goal line, he tilts shifts—and against Vancouver, those shifts turned into tangible results. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. OWEN TIPPETT SHOWED WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ENGAGEMENT MEETS SKILL. Owen Tippett’s goal wasn’t just another entry on the scoresheet—it was a moment that underlined his ceiling when his details are sharp. The play itself was pure confidence, but what Tocchet emphasized postgame was what it shows about Tippett's abilities when he's locked in from the opening minutes of a game. “That was a hell of a goal. I mean, that’s a highlight-reel goal,” he said. “When he gets engaged, you know, he’s playing. He’s got to [be] engaged right from the start because he can do those things.” That engagement showed up throughout Tippett’s night, not just on the finish. His puck touches were decisive, his routes direct, and his signature speed was able to shine. Back-to-back goal games show his consistency of approach, and Tippett’s game against Vancouver reflected that shift. When Tippett plays with pace and purpose early, it changes how defenders gap up against him. Vancouver learned that the hard way. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. BOARD PLAY WASN’T A DETAIL—IT WAS THE GAME PLAN. One of the most important elements of this win was how the Flyers consistently won battles along the walls. Tocchet explicitly pointed to how Philadelphia attacked Vancouver’s structure. “The [Canucks] play a 1-2-2, so their D are caught inside the dots,” he explained. “So if you can kick it out, have a good wall play, and then make a slip play—whether it’s indirect or in the middle—I thought it was one of our better games with that.” The Flyers repeatedly used short, controlled wall plays to escape pressure, forcing Vancouver’s defense to collapse before slipping pucks into space. It allowed Philadelphia to extend offensive-zone time without overcommitting numbers and helped prevent counterattacks the other way. This wasn’t about dumping and chasing blindly. It was about purposefully using the boards as an advantage. Against a team structured to clog the middle, the Flyers didn’t insist on forcing plays through it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. THE DEFENSE SUPPORTED POSSESSION RATHER THAN CHASING OFFENSE. Emil Andrae’s assist on the opening goal gave him points in three of his last four games, and since his ice time increased in mid-November, his 10 points (1g, 9a) rank second among Flyers defensemen. What continues to stand out is how little Andrae forces. He and the rest of the blue line prioritized keeping pucks alive and moving them quickly to space, which fed directly into the Flyers’ strong board work. Cam York extended his point streak to three games with an assist of his own, and the defensive group as a whole stayed disciplined about pinches and recoveries. That balance mattered late, when Philadelphia protected its lead without retreating into passive defense. Emil Andrae (36). (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/817cd698-63e1-4b56-955c-0146265b4799.jpeg] Emil Andrae (36). (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. CLOSING THE GAME WAS METHODICAL, DESPITE TWO "FREEBIE" GOAL. Matvei Michkov’s empty-net goal, his 20th point of the season, put the game away, but the Flyers’ closing sequence was notable for how relatively uneventful it was. Despite giving up what Tocchet called "two freebie" goals, the Flyers didn't allow the Canucks much hope to get back into this game. Rodrigo Abols continued his productive stretch with two assists, earning his first career multi-point game, while Carl Grundstrom added his fourth goal of the season. Trevor Zegras extended his career-high point streak to eight games with an assist. All of it fit the same pattern: contributions across the lineup, built on patient structure rather than chaotic momentum swings.
