Flyers snap three-game losing streak with 3-1 win over NHL-worst Canucks

VANCOUVER, British Columbia ― If there was ever a must-win in a young season, this was it.

Yes, the Flyers needed to get back in the win column, but when you’re facing the NHL’s worst team — by a wide margin — you have to skate away with two points. It wasn’t pretty at times, notably in the third period as the Flyers again struggled to close the game out, but they ultimately took care of business in Vancouver, coming away with a 3-1 win against the Canucks.

The win snapped a three-game winless streak and gave the Flyers their second victory in eight games. They are now 5-10-5 on the season.

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Before the game, coach Rick Tocchet said Michael Bunting would slot back into the lineup after being a healthy scratch for the last five games. It would have made sense if he took Trevor Zegras’ spot on the left wing, with Cole Knuble coming out of the lineup, and Zegras sliding to the middle on the line with Owen Tippett on the right.

Instead, Bunting was on the top line in warm-up rushes, skating with Tippett and center Christian Dvorak. The move paid off as Bunting opened the scoring 2 minutes, 3 seconds into the game with his first goal as a Flyer.

The Flyers broke out, and Bunting carried the puck through the neutral zone. He drew in two Canucks as he went down the right side and, just inside the blue line, tried to hit a wide-open Dvorak down the middle with a backhand saucer pass, but Vancouver defenseman Luke Schenn knocked it down.

Bunting stayed with it and knocked the puck toward Dvorak as he streaked to the net for a shot on goal. The puck got caught in Dvorak’s skates, popped out, and Bunting fired it past Canucks goalie Leevi Meriläinen to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead.

In the second period, the Flyers doubled their lead with a power-play goal by Travis Konecny.

Matvei Michkov, who had one of his best 200-foot games of his short NHL career on Monday, stayed on the ice as part of his unit change. Zegras, who is also on the first unit, carried the puck up the ice, and the pair worked the puck along the boards in the offensive zone before Michkov swung it around to Dvorak.

Dvorak sent it right back to Michkov behind the net, and he fed Konecny as he snuck down to the left post for the Flyers’ 11th power play goal in 60 opportunities (18.3%).

Twenty-four seconds into the third period, the Flyers thought they had made it 3-0 on a goal by Tyson Foerster. But Canucks coach Manny Malhotra challenged for offside, and video review confirmed Jamie Drysdale was just ahead of Zegras’ zone entry.

It would have been the Flyers’ only shot on goal in the period had it counted because the Flyers did not register an official shot on goal until there was 59 seconds left.

Joseph Woll was sensational again, only getting bested by Jonathan Lekkerimäki’s one-timer from the left circle during a Canucks power play in a third period where the hometown team surged. Woll faced just six shots across the first two periods, but the Canucks turned it on in the final period and had 11 shots on goal, including one by Max Sasson as he streaked down the left side with under four minutes left.

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The Flyers also gave the Canucks three power-play opportunities in the final 9:10, with Bunting getting called for elbowing — Lekkerimäki scored — Konecny called for slashing, and Woll given a minor for delay of game when his mask came off.

Travis Sanheim sealed the win with a short-handed empty-net goal with 59 seconds left. It was the Flyers only shot on goal in the final frame.

The game should have never been as close as it was as the Flyers had several chances to score. They missed the net 13 times and had another 17 shots blocked across the first 40 minutes.

Bunting’s last goal was on a power play March 14 against the Detroit Red Wings as a member of the Dallas Stars. His last even-strength goal was Jan. 16 as a member of the Nashville Predators against the Colorado Avalanche. ... David Jiříček returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch in the previous eight games. He skated 13:23 across 22 shifts against the Canucks. ... Simon Benoit was a healthy scratch.

The Flyers’ five-game road trip hits stop No. 4 on Wednesday against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers (9 p.m., NBCSP).