On Wednesday night the Philadelphia Flyers faced their second consecutive opponent on a five-game winning streak. Worse yet, they did so on the opening night of their western road trip away in Edmonton. After a home loss in a thoroughly unattractive game against the Florida Panthers, the Flyers needed to beat the Oilers on their ice to keep their early season momentum rolling. Containing superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl might have discouraged the team last year. The Flyers of 2021-2022 are a different animal, though, and they went out on the ice and delivered, just like they have throughout October.

The first period was the sort of action-packed affair TNT no doubt had hoped for after promoting the electric Oiler captain McDavid at length in the buildup to the game. He delivered, scoring on the powerplay off of the skate of Justin Braun. His tally, alongside that of top D-man Tyson Barrie, balanced out Flyer efforts from within the crease by captain Claude Giroux and Nate Thompson. It looked as though the tie score would last until the first intermission before Cam Atkinson kicked the puck to himself to score an outstanding snapshot with half a second to go in the period.

The late-period lapse of concentration must have irked the Oilers, who dominated proceedings in the second period. They were the bigger, faster team, setting up shop in the Flyers' end both with a man-advantage and at even strength. At times, it seemed the two sides were playing a different sport, and the Flyers were lucky to escape the period having shipped only one goal, which Zach Hyman netted under the arm of Carter Hart. It might have been worse if not for the away team's shot-blocking efforts, which hobbled Oskar Lindblom and left Rasmus Ristolainen with a gashed left eyebrow.

The third period began with much of the same, with the Flyers seemingly waiting to be scored on and the Oilers getting out on the rush with speed. A soft goal for the Flyers, again by Atkinson, changed the complexion of the game. They began to truly buckle down as the home team redoubled its attacking efforts, often letting Draisaitl, Barrie, and McDavid share the ice. Things reached a fever pitch when the Oilers pulled their goaltender, as the Flyers could do nothing but ice the puck. They kept their cool admirably though, behind the efforts of their captain Giroux, who won an astonishing four straight defensive zone faceoffs. After the last, they finally cleared the zone before Sean Couturier killed the game with his second empty-netter of the season.

The game was not perfect. It is hockey after all, and Alain Vigneault will want his team to lose the puck less and take fewer thoughtless penalties when they face Vancouver in a rematch of their season-opening loss. Still, they stole a win away from home against an undefeated team that frankly outplayed them. That is the exact sort of gristle and determination the Flyers need if they want to exercise their postseason demons in the winter of 2022.

Photo: Jason Franson/The Canadian Press