After firing head coach John Tortorella just before game day, the Flyers secured a 6-4 victory over the Canadiens at the Wells Fargo Center. This win ended a six-game losing streak and marked their first regulation win since February 25. Interim coach Brad Shaw, who took over after Tortorella’s departure, expressed mixed emotions about the situation, as Tortorella had been a mentor to him.
Sean Couturier and Matvei Michkov each scored two goals, and Nicolas Deslauriers and Tyson Foerster also contributed goals. Before this win, the Flyers (29-36-9) had been struggling with a 1-10-1 record in their last 12 games.
Shaw acknowledged the team’s mixed emotions, but emphasized the importance of moving forward. “At the end of the day, it’s upon us,” said Deslauriers. Couturier praised Tortorella for instilling accountability in the team but indicated that the players would need to adapt the philosophy moving forward.
The Flyers’ power play also scored for the first time in March, ending a 34-attempt drought. Goaltender Samuel Ersson made 26 saves on 30 shots, while the Canadiens’ Jakub Dobes stopped 24 of the Flyers’ shots.
The team will next face the Sabres on Saturday.
