Joseph Woll delivered a solid third-period showing as the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Vancouver Canucks 3-1 at Rogers Arena on Monday, putting an end to their three-game losing skid.
Michael Bunting, Travis Konecny, and Travis Sanheim scored for Philadelphia, with Christian Dvorak adding two assists. Woll made 18 saves, 12 of them in the final frame, as the Flyers withstood a late surge from Vancouver.
The win lifted Philadelphia’s record to 5-10-5 and gave them a 1-1-1 mark through the first three games of their five-game road trip. Vancouver, in contrast, dropped its sixth straight game, all in regulation.
Flyers halt losing streak with fast start
Philadelphia struck early through Bunting, who returned to the top line after being a healthy scratch for five consecutive games. The forward scored his first of the season just 2:03 into the opening period, grabbing a loose puck in the slot and beating Leevi Merilainen over the glove.
Bunting acknowledged that coming back after a long absence was challenging, especially in terms of regaining his timing. Still, he felt he adjusted well and was glad to finally get his first goal of the year.
The Flyers doubled their lead early in the second period when Konecny scored on the power play at 3:05. Matvei Michkov set him up behind the net, and the forward quickly fired a shot from the bottom of the left face-off circle, beating Merilainen on the short side.
Philadelphia’s disciplined play and aggressive forechecking troubled Vancouver throughout the first two periods. The Canucks managed only six shots in that span, while the visitors controlled most of the play.
Woll holds firm as Canucks push back
The Flyers seemed to have taken a three-goal lead just 25 seconds into the third period when Tyson Foerster finished off a rush. But Vancouver successfully challenged the play for offside, keeping the deficit at two.
That call gave the Canucks a chance to get back into the game, and they eventually capitalized on the power play. Jonathan Lekkerimaki scored at 12:44 after a passing exchange with Brock Boeser, firing a one-timer from the left face-off circle under Woll’s blocker.
Vancouver kept pressing and nearly equalized when Lekkerimaki hit the crossbar during another power play at 14:08. The hosts also took control of the shot count, outshooting Philadelphia 13-2 in the final period.
Woll faced a tough finish after being penalized at 17:11 for removing his helmet when its strap came loose. With Merilainen pulled for an extra attacker, the Canucks had a six-on-four advantage but couldn’t find the tying goal.
Sanheim seals Flyers win over Vancouver
Philadelphia finally dashed Vancouver’s comeback hopes in the closing moments. Sanheim scored short-handed into the empty net at 19:01, completing the 3-1 victory and ensuring the Flyers left with both points.
Konecny praised Woll’s ability to stay focused throughout the game, especially as the Canucks ramped up pressure in the third period. He said he was confident the goaltender would be ready when needed, and the 18-save effort proved that belief right.
Sanheim also pointed to Philadelphia’s work ethic and forechecking, though he admitted the penalties in the final period had let Vancouver back into the contest. He was still pleased with the effort from a team playing on consecutive nights.
Canucks’ losing streak worries Malhotra
Vancouver coach Manny Malhotra was especially displeased with his team’s opening performance. Even against a Philadelphia side coming off a back-to-back, the Canucks failed to establish early pressure and made several mistakes that left them chasing the game.
Malhotra also voiced frustration with the penalties his players took, calling the slow start and repeated errors an increasingly serious issue. While he credited his team for the late pressure, he felt the intensity shown in the third period should have been there from the opening face-off.
The loss extended Vancouver’s losing streak to six games and left the team searching for answers after another regulation defeat. Philadelphia, meanwhile, finally had something to celebrate after managing just two wins in its previous eight outings.