Flyers Could Have, & Probably Should Have Beat Ducks on Saturday

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Flyers Could Have, & Probably Should Have Beat Ducks on Saturday

NHL: Anaheim Ducks at Philadelphia Flyers — IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

William James · Philly Hockey Now

Sat, Oct 24, 2026 ·

4 min read

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"I think I thought we played well enough to win the game, and I don't think I played well enough to win the game, and sometimes it goes like that , " said Philadelphia Flyers netminder Joseph Woll after Saturday's 5-4 loss against the Anaheim Ducks.

Woll faced 26 shots on Saturday, stopping 21 of them. He did not have his best stuff on Saturday. But that's not the story here. Goalies let in goals. Woll, along with Dan Vladar , have put the Flyers in position to win games that the skaters have lost more often than not in the team's 10 losses.

The Flyers' netminder knows it's just one game. They have some time before the next one. "We [have] a couple days here, so that's the luxury of having a couple days off. So you know, I'll flush it and get back to work."

The Flyers put up a season-high 32 shots this season compared to the Ducks 26. Several of the forwards showed out on Saturday, including Matvei Michkov and Porter Martone . Michkov added two more goals to make it 8 on the season, while Porter Martone's goal and an assist gave him his second multi-point game of the season.

Despite the excellent night, Michkov is focused on the result, instead of his performance. "Today we lose. This is not good," said the Flyers star. Michkov mentioned that they created a lot of opportunities, but they need to be better at capitalizing, saying, "I think we need to score more goals."

"We came out hot, and the crowd was amazing," said Porter Martone. " You get up 2-0 going into the second period. Credit to them, they had no quit. I like our bounce-back there, but we've gotta be able to play with a lead. That one definitely stings, to blow that one and lose by one goal."

That was the problem. The Flyers got off to an electrifying start. They scored two power-play goals from their two biggest young stars; the crowd was rowdy playing against their biggest heel, and you could feel the beginning of a big game.

Then came the cursed second period, an area where the Flyers have struggled this season. A flurry of undisciplined penalties killed momentum and let the Ducks creep back in. The Ducks did not quit. They were pesky, even in the first period, showing no signs of dejection.

"Lots of penalties. It kind of ruins the flow of the game. But, you know, I know this group. We want to win. Everyone in this room, so it's just the way we fought back. We went there in the third, and we just combined a little ," Martone added.

The young star spoke like a veteran after the game, knowing that their biggest game is the next one. Not in magnitude; rather, it's to see how they can bounce back.

"I think it's a big test for our group in the next game. See how you respond to a loss and, hopefully, get a couple wins under your belt again. "

Head coach Rick Tocchet echoed the sentiment carried by Michkov and Martone. He saw the chances, he liked the first period, and he liked the fight shown in the third. But Tocchet also saw the chances and knows his team has to capitalize.

"I think we had [chances]. I thought we got loose in the second, though. You know, I thought we had a really good first. I thought we got loose. I think that's when we let them back into the game. You know, we tried at the end, but yeah, I would say that I agree with the players."

Tocchet also recognized that the team has to be more disciplined, because, like Martone, he thought the penalties ruined the flow of the game. "I think there's something to undisciplined penalties that we got to stop doing. "

Tocchet knows his team could have won this game. In fact, he recognized that they probably should have. Instead, they'll have to take it as another lesson in the long road of digging themselves out of the hole they dug with their season-opening slide.

"There's lots to like about our game [today]. But the ability to win this game, you know, it stings because I thought this was a game we should have won. But we let him off the hook, with, you know, whatever the factors. So once again, he was going to learn from it."

The Flyers will have their chance to bounce back on Tuesday when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets at Xfinity Mobile Arena.