Michkov’s two goals aren’t enough as Flyers lose grip on McDavid, Oilers in OT originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Matvei Michkov put the Flyers ahead 2-0 at the first intermission on Tuesday night and they had a 3-2 advantage heading into the third period.

But the Flyers couldn’t stop Connor McDavid and the Oilers as they lost 4-3 in overtime at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta.

McDavid found a wide-open Leon Draisaitl for the game winner seconds after coming up empty on a breakaway. The three-time MVP made some sharp plays to help force OT when he found Evan Bouchard with 3:42 minutes left in regulation time.

Michkov scored his first career NHL goal, adding his second midway through the opening line. Both were power play markers. Bobby Brink scored the Flyers’ other goal to regain the team’s lead with just 23 seconds left in the second period.

The Flyers are 1-1-1 on this season-opening four-game road trip.

The defending Western Conference champion Oilers picked up their first win. They came in having scored just three goals in a 0-3-0 start, with all three defeats coming on home turf.

John Tortorella’s club won’t see Edmonton again until February 22 in Philadelphia.

• Over three matches, this was by far Michkov’s best. What might excite the Flyers most is the multitude of looks he can give them on the power play. As Tortorella said of Michkov last month, the Flyers are “hungry for the kind of plays he can make.”

The 19-year-old can make things happen in so many different ways with the man advantage and he showed that against the Oilers. On his first goal, he was persistent in jamming the puck past the leg pad of Edmonton goalie Stuart Skinner. His second goal was a beautiful shot from almost under the circle.

He was dangerous on the power play all night.

Last season, the Flyers’ man advantage started at 1 of 20 and ended the year at a league-worst 12.2 percent. It was the third consecutive season that the club owned the NHL’s last power play. Through three games this season, the Flyers’ man advantage is 4 of 15. Michkov scored two of the goals and assisted on another.

The Oilers didn’t play a smart game on Tuesday night, holding the Flyers to seven power plays. In a 2-2 game during the second period, the Flyers had 40 seconds of a 5-on-3 and were unable to convert. But Brink scored nine seconds after the second power play ended.

• Samuel Ersson faced Edmonton for the first time in his career and made 29 saves on 33 shots.

The soon-to-be 25-year-old gave the Flyers a good chance to win.

The Oilers tied the game at 2-2 in the second period after goals from Adam Henrique and Connor Brown. Ersson allowed a bad rebound on Henrique’s goal as the Flyers left Brown alone after failing to clear the puck.

Travis Sanheim had a minus-3 rating and Cam York a minus-2.

Skinner stopped 27 of the Flyers’ 30 shots.

• McDavid has historically wreaked havoc on the Flyers whenever they visited Rogers Place.

The Flyers were able to limit him to the third period on Tuesday night. He now has 24 points (eight goals, 16 assists) in nine home games against the Flyers, who are just 2-6-1 in those games.

• Sean Couturier and Joel Farabee had back-to-back fights in the third period.

Couturier obliged Troy Stecher after the Flyers captain collided with Skinner (no penalty was assessed).

Two seconds later, Farabee and Corey Perry dropped the gloves after kicking the bucket for a showdown.

• Some figures to note:

The Flyers blocked 21 shots and Garnet Hathaway had a few gutsy shots.

Morgan Frost collected assists on both of Michkov’s goals.

Farabee and Brink have scored a point in all three of the Flyers’ games.

• After suffering the Flyers’ 6-3 loss to the Flames last Saturday, Jett Luchanko was back in the lineup against Edmonton. He remained scoreless in 17 minutes, but used his speed at times and did some good things.

• Nick Seeler missed a third straight game after taking a puck to the peroneal nerve in his right leg two weeks ago. The defender of the second pair is considered day by day.

• The Flyers wrap up their trip Thursday with a visit to the Kraken (10 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

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