Dalton Bancroft’s two-goal performance and Jeffrey Viel’s clutch winner lift Boston past Philadelphia in home opener

PHILADELPHIA — Jeffrey Viel scored the game-winner with 6:15 remaining in the third period, capping off a remarkable individual effort that lifted the Boston Bruins to a 4-3 comeback victory over the Philadelphia Flyers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Saturday night.

The win improves Boston’s preseason record to 2-1-0, while Philadelphia falls to 1-3-0 after dropping their third consecutive preseason contest despite outshooting the visitors 27-27 in an evenly matched battle.

First Period: Drama in the Final Second

The Flyers struck first in what would become a special teams showcase. Christian Dvorak and Sean Couturier set up Travis Sanheim for a power-play goal at 8:57 of the opening frame, giving Philadelphia an early 1-0 advantage with a perfectly executed snap shot on the man advantage.

Boston responded with pure drama in the final seconds of the period. With just one second remaining at 19:59, Johnny Beecher capitalized on Alex Bump’s turnover at the side of the net, catching Sam Ersson off guard with an unassisted wrist shot to knot the game at 1-1. The goal showcased the aggressive forechecking that would define Boston’s approach throughout the contest.

Second Period: Offensive Explosion

The middle frame belonged to both teams’ power plays and featured an incredible four goals in a wild 20-minute span that saw multiple lead changes.

Boston seized the lead at 3:57 when Dalton Bancroft converted his own rebound off a blocked shot with a wrist shot past Ersson on the power play. Mason Lohrei and Hampus Lindholm earned assists on the former Cornell standout’s first goal of the preseason, showing excellent net-front presence.

Philadelphia answered at 7:12 as Nikita Grebenkin displayed impressive hand-eye coordination, batting in an airborne puck for his first of the preseason. Matvei Michkov and Trevor Zegras picked up assists on the spectacular bat shot that leveled the contest at 2-2.

The Flyers took their second lead of the night at 13:04 with a picture-perfect power-play sequence. A beautiful give-and-go between Michkov and Zegras resulted in Zegras’ first goal in a Flyers uniform, a snap shot that showcased the immediate chemistry between two of Philadelphia’s most skilled young forwards. Owen Tippett also assisted on the goal.

The excitement continued immediately after the goal, as Grebenkin earned a penalty shot just seconds later and hit the post, narrowly missing what could have been a momentum-shifting goal.

Boston responded with authority at 15:58 when a defensive breakdown allowed a 2-on-0 rush that Bancroft finished for his second goal of the game with a wrist shot. Georgii Merkulov and Frederic Brunet earned assists on the play that highlighted Philadelphia’s defensive struggles and rewarded Bancroft’s strong positioning throughout the contest.

The period ended tied 3-3, with both teams combining for four goals in a thrilling display of offensive hockey.

Third Period: Clutch Scoring Decides It

The final frame proved to be a goaltending battle until Viel’s heroics broke a 3-3 deadlock at 13:45. The veteran forward’s game-winning wrist shot came on individual skill and determination, beating Flyers defenseman Helge Grans wide before making a composed finish past Ersson. Patrick Brown and Henri Jokiharju earned assists on the decisive goal.

The Flyers were unable to find an equalizer despite having a late power play and pulling their goalie, as Boston’s penalty kill and Michael DiPietro held firm under pressure to secure the victory.

Goaltending Battle

Ersson made 23 saves on 27 shots (.852 save percentage) in the loss, facing quality chances throughout the contest. Michael DiPietro made 24 saves on 27 shots (.889 save percentage) in the win, bouncing back from a rough previous outing to provide steady netminding when it mattered most, including nine straight saves in the third period.

Game Statistics Tell the Story

Despite Philadelphia’s statistical advantages in several key areas, Boston’s execution proved decisive:

• Shots on Goal: Even at 27-27, showing a perfectly balanced contest
• Faceoffs: Philadelphia won 51.2% (21/41) vs Boston’s 48.8% (20/41)
• Power Play: Philadelphia converted 50% (2/4) vs Boston’s 33.3% (1/3)
• Hits: Philadelphia out-hit Boston 22-17, playing a more physical style
• Blocked Shots: Philadelphia blocked 15 shots vs Boston’s 9
• Penalty Minutes: Boston 12, Philadelphia 10

The even shot totals perfectly illustrated how balanced this contest was, with Boston winning through clutch individual performances rather than possession dominance.

Three Stars of the Game

⭐ First Star: Dalton Bancroft (Boston) – 2 goals, 0 assists, 2 points The former Cornell forward earned first star honors with his breakout performance, scoring both a power-play goal and the crucial game-tying goal late in the second period.

⭐⭐ Second Star: Trevor Zegras (Philadelphia) – 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 points
Excellent debut performance in a Flyers uniform, showcasing immediate chemistry with Matvei Michkov on the power-play goal that gave Philadelphia a 3-2 lead.

⭐⭐⭐ Third Star: Jeffrey Viel (Boston) – 1 goal, 0 assists, 1 point The veteran forward delivered the game-winner with 6:15 remaining, showing clutch scoring ability when it mattered most.

Player Spotlight

Matvei Michkov continued to impress with two assists, combining with Zegras for three points and demonstrating the playmaking ability that has made him one of Philadelphia’s most promising prospects.

Hampus Lindholm made his preseason debut after recovering from a fractured kneecap suffered last November, recording one assist and two shots in over 21 minutes of ice time without any apparent issues from the injury.

Looking Ahead

The preseason continues on Monday night as the Flyers and Bruins meet again in Boston at 7 p.m. Both teams will look to fine-tune their systems as the regular season approaches.

For Boston, the victory showcased depth scoring and resilience, with Bancroft and Viel making strong cases for roster spots while veterans like Lindholm showed they’re ready for the season. Philadelphia will need to address defensive breakdowns that led to quality scoring chances, particularly the 2-on-0 rush that resulted in Bancroft’s second goal.

Despite the loss, the Flyers showed encouraging offensive chemistry, particularly between Michkov and Zegras, who combined for four points. The rematch in Boston promises another entertaining chapter in this preseason series between Atlantic Division rivals.

CLICK ON IMAGE FOR FULL GALLERY