Tippett’s relentless play sets the stage as Philadelphia rallies for 2-1 overtime victory
PHILADELPHIA — Sometimes the best saves don’t show up in the stat sheet. Dan Vladar’s glove snare with just over a minute left in overtime wasn’t particularly spectacular — until he immediately threw the puck up ice to Jamie Drysdale, sparking the rush that ended with Noah Cates burying his first career overtime goal and giving the Flyers a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Minnesota on Saturday night.
The Flyers improved to 2-2-1 after battling back from a second-period deficit, while the Wild dropped their third straight game to fall to 2-3-1. In a game that featured just 37 shots on goal combined, it was Philadelphia’s refusal to quit that made the difference.
The Turning Point
The game-winning sequence began when Vladar made that routine glove save and immediately started the transition. Drysdale raced up ice with the puck as Tyson Foerster dropped back for a pass. In one fluid motion, Foerster took out a Wild defenseman with a perfectly legal screen, freeing Cates for a clean look from the slot. The wrist shot beat Jesper Wallstedt cleanly at 2:37 of overtime.
But the real turning point came earlier in the third period, when Owen Tippett refused to give up on a seemingly innocent play. After Wallstedt stopped his initial shot, Tippett hustled behind the net, retrieved the rebound, and threw a backhand centering pass that caromed off the goaltender’s body and into the net at 7:10. That gritty, determined sequence changed everything.
How It Unfolded
First Period: 0-0
The Flyers wanted to put the Wild on their heels early, knowing Minnesota was playing on the back end of a back-to-back after losing 5-1 in Washington the night before. Philadelphia controlled the play despite managing just two shots in the opening seven minutes. The period belonged to defenseman Nick Seeler, who jumped into the rush offensively and then had to defend a Wild odd-man rush, ending up starfishing across the ice to prevent a scoring chance. The physical tone was set when Nicolas Deslauriers dropped the gloves with Marcus Foligno, prompting an “Are you not entertained?” gesture toward the crowd that brought the house down.
Second Period: Minnesota 1-0
The Wild took over. Vladimir Tarasenko scored his first goal with Minnesota just 1:55 into the period, gathering a loose puck from Marco Rossi in the left circle and snapping a shot past Vladar. Jonas Brodin also assisted on the play. What followed was a nightmare sequence for Philadelphia. Coach Rick Tocchet challenged for offside and lost, putting the Wild on the power play. When that penalty expired, Owen Tippett took a tripping minor just 7.7 seconds later, forcing the Flyers to kill consecutive penalties against Minnesota’s league-leading 43.5% power play. Philadelphia didn’t record a single shot on goal in the first 13 minutes of the period. But Vladar stood tall, making several key saves through traffic.
Third Period: Philadelphia 1-1
The Zegras-Dvorak-Tippett line looked charged up after surviving the penalty kills, delivering strong shifts. The breakthrough came when that trio forced a turnover in the neutral zone. Tippett fired five shots on the night — the most he’d had in a game all season — and finally broke through with a backhand that deflected off Wallstedt and in at 7:10. The Flyers had to kill another penalty when Jamie Drysdale was called for hooking Matt Boldy at 10:00, but Vladar continued his stellar play. After Tippett’s goal, Tocchet moved him up to the top line with Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny. Matvei Michkov, who had been on that line, didn’t see the ice for the final 11:48 of regulation or overtime.
Overtime: Philadelphia 2-1
Minnesota nearly won it early when Brock Faber made a terrific move and fed Joel Eriksson Ek for a shot that sailed wide of a sprawling Vladar. But the Flyers’ goaltender had the final say, keeping the puck alive after his glove save and setting up Cates for the winner.
Player Spotlight: Owen Tippett
Owen Tippett is hitting full stride in a way he never has this early in a season. His third goal of the year came in Game 5; the last two seasons, it took him 14 games to reach that mark, with both coming in Game 7.
The Numbers: 1 goal, 5 shots, 18:39 TOI, 3 hits, plus-1
According to NHL Edge tracking, Tippett had six speed bursts over 22 mph, 18 between 20-22 mph, and 40 between 18-20 mph. The 26-year-old winger is playing with the confidence of a player who trusts his legs. “I think that’s one of the things I’ve kind of focused on — if my legs are there, the rest will kind of follow,” Tippett said. “I think there’s times when I don’t need to be going 100 miles an hour all the time, but I think if I can get in the first shift or two, if I can kind of feel my legs a little bit, it usually sets me up pretty well.”
Coach Rick Tocchet was effusive: “He’s giving us some energy. He’s been our most dynamic, driving-play guy.”
What We Learned
About Philadelphia: The Flyers’ defense is built on Rick Tocchet’s box-and-one system — keep shots to the outside and let the goalie see it. They blocked 16 shots and avoided the double deflections that can beat even the best netminders. Dan Vladar is proving to be far more than a reliable backup. Through three starts, he’s making the case that he might be more than just Sam Ersson’s partner — he might be supplanting him.
About Minnesota: The Wild have dropped three straight and are struggling to put together complete games. “We’re trying to play our best game every night,” Tarasenko said. “We have to work on staying on the same program for all 60 minutes.” Kirill Kaprizov, their offensive engine, was held to just two shots and finished minus-2. Matt Boldy’s five-game point streak (four goals, five assists) came to an end.
Key Stat: Neither team scored on the power play, with Minnesota going 0-for-3 despite entering the game with the league’s best power play at 43.5%. The Flyers’ penalty kill was the unsung hero.
The Quote That Matters
“We knew we were in the game all along. Low-event game, low-shot game. Just waiting for one to break through. I think we did a good job with staying up on the bench and waiting for opportunities.” — Owen Tippett
This perfectly captures Philadelphia’s patience and persistence in a grinding, defensive battle where one mistake could have been the difference.
By The Numbers
Final Score: PHI 2, MIN 1 (OT)
Shots: MIN 16, PHI 21
Hits: PHI 32, MIN 19
Blocked Shots: PHI 16, MIN 15
Faceoffs: PHI 51.1% (24/47), MIN 48.9% (23/47)
Power Play: MIN 0-3, PHI 0-2
Penalty Minutes: MIN 9, PHI 11
Attendance: 17,011 at Wells Fargo Center
Three Stars:
- Noah Cates, PHI – Game-winning goal in OT (1st career OT goal), 1G, 0A
- Owen Tippett, PHI – Game-tying goal, 1G, 5 SOG
- Dan Vladar, PHI – 15 saves, .938 SV%, including crucial glove save in OT
What’s Next
Minnesota Wild (2-3-1) continue their five-game road trip Monday night at Madison Square Garden against the New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET). The Wild desperately need to snap this three-game skid before things spiral. Can they solve Igor Shesterkin after managing just 16 shots against Vladar?
Philadelphia Flyers (2-2-1) close out their four-game homestand Monday against the Seattle Kraken (7 p.m. ET, NBCSP). After finding ways to win these tight, defensive battles, can the Flyers carry this momentum forward and get above .500 for the first time this season?
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