The energy at the Wells Fargo Center was undeniable. The fans created a raucous atmosphere, supporting the Philadelphia Flyers (18-20-5) and creating Hell on Earth for the Anaheim Ducks (17-20-5).
Cutter Gauthier was the central focus of the boos. Before warm-ups, security removed signs as docile as “Cutter Is Softer Than Butter” from the crowd. That didn’t do any favors. The boos grew louder and were relentless with each shift. If Gauthier took a stride onto the ice, Philadelphia let him know what they felt about him.
Debatably, the last time the energy in the Wells Fargo Center felt as contagious was when Matvei Michkov made his debut with the Flyers or when Claude Giroux completed his final game with Philadelphia.
An atmosphere like this is for rivalries. The Pittsburgh Penguins and Flyers during the peak of the Sidney Crosby and Giroux era. As Philadelphia rebuilds, they might’ve stumbled upon a new rival. Once a top prospect in this rebuild, Gauthier became the catalyst for a newfound rivalry between two teams not in the same conference.
“I hope we can play in front of a crowd like that about something meaningful. Not this shit, whatever you guys are talking about; I hope it means something to the organization as far as winning and losing. That’s when we want to see a crowd like that, not all this stuff you guys are talking about. I want it to be that we’re a team to be reckoned with in a playoff series or whatever it may be, not this shit.” – John Tortorella; 1/11/2025
John Tortorella doesn’t buy into these storylines, but they exist in the ether. After Thursday, Tortorella needed a positive step forward from his lineup. A shutout versus the Ducks resembles the first win for the Flyers in 2025.
First Period
Shots on Goal: 14-7, Flyers
Score: 2-0, Flyers
“We want Cutter!”
This was the battle cry from the fans in Philadelphia before Gauthier stepped onto the ice. Once Gauthier stepped onto the ice, the boos were official. Then, there were more unsavory chants that NBC Sports Philadelphia might’ve muted on their broadcast.
Morgan Frost opened the scoring. He was responsible for the only tally versus the Dallas Stars on Thursday and scored the eventual game-winner last night. Owen Tippett executed a seam pass to Travis Konecny, who missed the net on his chance. Tippett executed the same sequence, but this time, Konecny waited for Frost to cut across the slot, batting the puck past John Gibson, 1-0, with 13:12 remaining in the first period. Frost extended his point streak versus Anaheim.
Mason McTavish served a minor penalty for too many men on the ice. Noah Cates mustered the only shot on goal, and Rasmus Ristolainen was responsible for regrouping the powerplay in the defensive zone.
After the midway point of the first period, Bobby Brink collided with Brian Dumoulin. Dumoulin took the worst of the collision, a hit from behind. Brink was not penalized, and the hit was not intentional. Jacob Trouba had the puck in the Flyers’ offensive zone, and Brink went to pursue on the forecheck. As he turned toward Trouba, Dumoulin was in the way.
Ryan Strome served a minor penalty for tripping. Konecny tallied his second assist on the powerplay, slipping a feed to Jamie Drysdale. Drysdale made a clean move around Gibson, 2-0, with 1:49 remaining in the first period.
Anaheim didn’t need Drysdale to score. It served as salt in the wound since Philadelphia acquired him and a 2025 second-round pick when trading Gauthier. Drysdale inspired a new chant, too. “Jamie’s better!”
“It was pretty special. You hear the crowd going on like that. [It] brings so much energy to myself and the whole team. Unbelievable fans. They were rocking tonight.” – Jamie Drysdale; 1/11/2025
Officially, the bout between the Flyers and the Ducks became chippy. Scott Laughton and Garnet Hathaway served minor roughing penalties over beef with McTavish and Robby Fabbri. Then, Travis Sanheim served a minor roughing penalty, as Ross Johnston served a double-minor for roughing. Philadelphia would begin the second period with a five-on-four powerplay.
Second Period
Shots on Goal: 19-14, Flyers
Score: 3-0, Flyers
Johnston served his double-minor. Tippett had the only shot on the powerplay. Brink missed his shot above the crossbar.
Sam Ersson remained engaged. He made intelligent decisions, such as banking a puck to a teammate off the boards or clearing a puck out of the defensive zone to eliminate a breakaway chance. His play kept Anaheim trapped in the neutral zone, where Ryan Poehling stapled Sam Colangelo along the benches.
Frost served a minor penalty for tripping. Cates cleared the puck out of the defensive zone a few times to kill more than half of the Ducks’ powerplay. The Flyers finished 1/1 (100%) on the penalty kill, and Konecny chirped at Gauthier.
Gauthier was on the receiving end of four hits. Most of those took place in the second period. Ristolainen and Konecny bodied him in back-to-back sequences.
Earlier, Tippett hoped to lead Konecny into a scoring play with a seam pass. Instead, Konecny served the pass for a one-timer to Tippett, 3-0, with 3:48 remaining in the second period.
Before the end of the second period, Frank Vatrano ran into Sanheim, and then Laughton followed up on Vatrano. Vatrano and Laughton each served a minor penalty for roughing. The chippy demeanor maintained its pace.
Third Period
Shots on Goal: 30-22, Flyers
Score: 6-0, Flyers
Almost immediately, Poehling extended the lead with a slick mini-breakaway, 4-0, with 19:36 remaining in regulation. If Anaheim hoped to gain a sense of composure, Philadelphia stomped those dreams out in 0:24.
Radko Gudas took out his frustration on Michkov. Gudas figured he would provide Michkov with a welcome to the NHL moment, but the Flyers protected their own. Michkov defended himself with a jab at Gudas. In retaliation, Gudas threw two punches. Each received a minor penalty for roughing, as the officials intended to mitigate the intentions between the two clubs.
Once Gudas returned to the game, Nick Seeler found him. Seeler and Gudas each received a minor penalty for roughing, but this time, Gudas received a misconduct. Strome joined Gudas in the penalty box to give Philadelphia a powerplay.
Michkov buried the rebound, 5-0, with 12:24 remaining in regulation. Gudas had to watch from the box as Michkov made him pay for his actions. The Flyers finished 2/4 (50%) on the powerplay.
Hathaway added another, driving the net and slipping the backhand past Gibson as he fell to the ice, 6-0, with 11:05 remaining in regulation. Laughton continued his point streak versus the Ducks with a secondary assist on the final scoring play.
Tippett added another hit on Gauthier in the third period. Down to the final minute of regulation, Philadelphia continued to drench Gauthier in boos. To add insult to injury, the Flyers outscored Anaheim, 9-1, this season. Ersson completed the sweep, earning each win versus the Ducks.
“I’m glad they didn’t score. That’s very important for the individual as a goaltender, a shutout. That doubles up a little bit for his [Ersson] confidence. Just to get him back in the flow; play a couple of good games, hopefully he stays healthy and keeps on moving forward.” – John Tortorella; 1/11/2025
Up Next
Next, the Philadelphia Flyers host the Florida Panthers tomorrow at 7:00pm/ET.
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