Flyers can't keep pace with Jets in 5-2 loss

Jackie Spiegel, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Oct 16, 2025

Published in Hockey

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PHILADELPHIA — The Flyers went for a spin on Thursday night against the defending Presidents’ Trophy winners, the Winnipeg Jets. And they probably drove coach Rick Tocchet a little crazy in a 5-2 loss that saw a combined 31 shots.

The Flyers trailed for the first time on home ice when Winnipeg’s Vladislav Namestnikov put the puck past Sam Ersson 5 minutes, 45 seconds into the opening frame.

Jett Luchanko couldn’t control the puck at the blue line, allowing Namestnikov to poke the puck to Gustav Nyquist. The winger fed Nino Niederreiter, who spun in front and got a shot on goal — which Ersson made a toe save on — but Namestnikov snuck in behind Jamie Drysdale and buried the rebound.

Winnipeg took a 2-0 lead in the second period after Nikita Grebenkin could not corral a breakout pass by Travis Sanheim along the wall. Winnipeg’s Gabriel Vilardi got the puck and sent it cross-ice to Mark Scheifele, who skated to the top of the right faceoff circle and fired the puck past Ersson’s glove.

Morgan Barron made it 3-1 Jets when his shot went off Noah Cates in front as he was tied up Parker Ford. Scheifele scored his second of the night on a power play in the third period to make it 4-1. Tanner Pearson added an empty-netter.

Owen Tippett got the Flyers on the board to make it 2-1 in the second as he picked up the puck in the neutral zone and started down the right wing before ripping a shot past Winnipeg goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. The goal was his second of the year and 95th of his career.

And in the third period, with 2:21 remaining, Matvei Michkov got his first goal of the year on a delayed penalty. Noah Juulsen dished it over to the Russian winger, who snapped it past Hellebuyck. The assist is Juulsen’s first point as a Flyer.

Philly had plenty of other chances — notably off the stick of Travis Konecny who is still looking for his first goal of the season. If it wasn’t Hellebuyck, who has won the last two Vezina Trophies as the NHL’s best goaltender, Konecny likely would have buried at least a pair.

Konecny, who has led the Flyers in scoring the last four seasons, was robbed in the second period just above the left post off a nice passing play that started with Michkov on the right boards. Michkov passed it to Tippett, who fed Konecny for the one-timer that went off the left pad of Hellebuyck during a Flyers power play.

The Flyers went 0 for 2 with the man advantage on the night, with Tyson Foerster also getting stopped on a one-timer off a pass from Bobby Brink. The duo, along with Cates, had a good look less than 30 seconds after Scheifele’s first goal when Cates dumped the puck in deep and chased it down. Brink got the puck along the board and fed Foerster for a shot attempt from atop the crease.

Breakaways

Cam York was activated off injured reserve on Thursday and returned to the lineup. The defenseman, who was out with a lower-body injury, played 22:32. … Luchanko made a nice play in the second period, using his speed to help break up a two-on-one with Sanheim the only Flyer back.

Up next

The Flyers host the Minnesota Wild on Saturday (7 p.m.).