Matvei Michkov scores twice including the OT Winner as Flyers rally to beat the Rangers 3-2

That is more like it. One night after dropping a flat effort to the Capitals to open the stretch run, the Philadelphia Flyers went into Madison Square Garden, dug out of a 2-0 hole, and beat the New York Rangers 3-2 in overtime.

Matvei Michkov scored twice, including the winner. The Flyers are 26-21-11 and suddenly very much alive in a race they probably should not still be in.

Matvei Michkov was the story.

He drew the Flyers to within 2-1 with a power play goal midway through the second period, the kind of timely goal that settles a team down and reminds everyone in the building that you are still in the game.

Mich and Catesy get us going. 🤝#PHIvsNYR | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/q2g568CSSZ

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) February 27, 2026

Then in overtime, with his team on the penalty kill after he took a tough goalie interference call late in regulation, Ersson bailed him out with a huge stop to keep it alive. Michkov got out of the box, got the puck, and buried the winner. Full circle in about three minutes.

Matvei Michkov OT Winner

MICHKOV MAGIC AT MSG! 🪄#PHIvsNYR | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/aIewixgZaS

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) February 27, 2026

Zegras provided the other goal, his 21st of the season, just 39 seconds into the third period to tie it at 2-2.

After a season where both Matvei Michkov and Trevor Zegras have been sources of conversation for various reasons, getting both of them scoring in a game like this is exactly what the Flyers need down the stretch.

TREVOR ZEGRAS TIES IT UP 👀

Watch Flyers-Rangers on ESPN and the ESPN App 🏒 pic.twitter.com/ifzFWCMsTM

— ESPN (@espn) February 27, 2026

Samuel Ersson was excellent. He let in a soft one early when a Sam Carrick shot from the side boards squeaked through, and the Rangers added another to make it 2-0.

But from there Ersson locked in and made 21 of his 23 saves look routine, including a huge stop on Adam Fox in the opening minutes and the critical overtime penalty kill save that kept Matvei Michkov’s mistake from ending the night the wrong way.

The situation is straightforward and not particularly comfortable.

The Flyers are eight points back of the third-place Islanders in the Metropolitan Division with 24 games left. They are 3-8 in overtime this season, so finding a way to close one out matters.

The trade deadline is next Friday at 3 p.m., and while the Flyers are not expected to be major sellers, a move or two seems likely depending on how these next few games go.

Tocchet’s message to the players was simple: give us reasons to keep this group together. Play harder. Win games. Thursday night in New York was a step in the right direction. The Bruins come to town Saturday. The must-wins keep coming.

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