The Flyers did just enough offensively to rally for a 2-1 overtime win Saturday night over the Wild at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Noah Cates buried the winner in OT.
Owen Tippett tied the game in the final stanza with his third marker of the season. From under the goal line, Tippett banked a low shot off Minnesota netminder Jesper Wallstedt.
“We knew we were in the game all along,” Tippett said. “Low-event game, low-shot game and we were just waiting for one to break through.”
After that goal, Rick Tocchet moved Tippett up to Matvei Michkov’s spot on Sean Couturier’s line. Tippett was rolling and Tocchet shortened his bench a good bit.
“We just needed some energy,” Tocchet said. … “I went with the nine [forwards], I thought we started to come. That’s what happens sometimes.”
The Flyers needed a jolt offensively and Tippett provided it with his powerful skating. Tocchet called Tippett the Flyers’ most dynamic play-driver so far.
“He’s the fastest skater ever,” Trevor Zegras said. “It’s awesome. I’ve never played with a guy that has that much speed. He does some wild stuff sometimes. I think he did like a spin-o-rama in the third period. I was just like, ‘Oh my God.’ Somebody so big that skates that fast. It’s fun to watch.”
Through five games, the Flyers (2-2-1) have scored 13 goals, two of which have come on an empty net. But they’ve defended and have gotten some quality goaltending.
The Wild (2-3-1) didn’t have the benefit of a day off like the Flyers did Friday. Minnesota played last night on the road against the Capitals and lost, 5-1, in a game that it was outshot 45-14.
“We had a day off yesterday, so we were not tired,” Zegras said. “We knew that this was a back-to-back for them, so we tried to stick to the game plan and make it as hard for them as possible.”
Noah Cates scored his first career overtime winner in the Flyers’ 2-1 decision Saturday night over the Wild.
• Everyone knew this opening stretch would be tough for the Flyers when the schedule came out in July.
The Flyers faced the two-time defending champion Panthers twice, a Hurricanes team that has made the playoffs in seven straight seasons, a Jets team that won the Presidents’ Trophy last season and a Wild team that went to the playoffs last season.
Tocchet’s club was able to pick up at least a point in three of those five games.
• Dan Vladar continued his promising start to the season, converting 15 saves on 16 shots.
“I thought tonight we were structurally good and obviously Vladdy was fantastic,” Nick Seeler said. “I think those are things to build on.”
The free-agent addition has denied 71 of 76 shots through three games with the Flyers.
“Just a real confident, solid goalie,” Tocchet said. “He comes by the bench, cheers the guys on. He has really done a nice job for us.”
Vladimir Tarasenko opened the scoring Saturday night by blasting one past Vladar early in the second period. The Flyers used a coach’s challenge on the goal, claiming Minnesota was offside. But Tocchet and his staff came up empty, which put the Flyers at shorthanded.
Thirty-nine seconds after the Flyers killed off the penalty, Tippett was whistled for tripping. The Flyers killed that one off, too, but the penalties really stalled them offensively as they were forced to defend a lot.
“I thought we did a good job, that’s a good hockey team over there,” Seeler said. “It’s nice to hold them to that many shots and play good defensively.”
Wallstedt stopped 19 of the Flyers’ 21 shots.
• Tocchet didn’t like his team’s start two nights ago when the Flyers were flat in a 5-2 loss to the Jets.
“Arriving on time with your identity, which we didn’t,” the head coach said Saturday morning. “So that’s going to be a work in progress.
“We’ve got to get to our game right from after the national anthem; not after 20 minutes.”
The Flyers had a better first period against the Wild. They dictated play more, but didn’t have anything to show for it. However, Minnesota had just three shots.
The Flyers, though, followed it up with a poor second period. They were outshot 8-5 in the middle stanza.
“We fought in the third and fought in OT,” Cates said. “If we just stay consistent and play north, we can take down a lot of good teams.”
• Nicolas Deslauriers and Marcus Foligno dropped the gloves 1:56 minutes into the action.
Two former teammates that can chuck ’em.
Nicolas Deslauriers and Marcus Foligno dropped the gloves in a heavyweight fight during the first period of the Flyers vs. Wild game.
• Tocchet went with a more experienced look up front as Deslauriers and Rodrigo Abols drew into the lineup for Nikita Grebenkin and Jett Luchanko.
On the back end, Egor Zamula played in place of Adam Ginning, who sat for the first time this season.
• The Flyers wrap up their four-game homestand Monday when they welcome the Kraken (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).
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