Trevor Zegras admitted how much this game meant to him, and that he had been waiting for it for a while. Said he really wanted the hat trick at the end, his linemates tried. "Yeah, I mean, it's tough, right? Playing against your old team that kinda shoved you out the door."

Flyers win 5-2 in Cutter Gauthier, The Return Part 2. A long, nasty, but very entertaining game. Now, Flyers just hope Brink and Drysdale aren't out for too long.

Flyers get an empty-net goal -- Grebenkin. They tried to get it to Zegras on the previous shift, but he just ran out of gas and had to change. 5-2 Flyers, they win this one going away.

This Flyers-Ducks "rivalry" started mostly as a one-sided thing on the part of Philadelphia fans. After this one? I think these two teams might actually, sincerely hate each other. Too bad they're in different conferences.

they didn't

5-on-3 coming for the Flyers. They can really put this one to bed here.

Hathaway's hits tonight on Moore and Zellweger were hard and mean, but not illegal. If only Johnston could have held to that standard too.

It's not. Hathaway and Gudas just get fighting majors.

I mean, that's a mean, hard hit by Hathaway to be sure, but I'm not sure I see a penalty there...?

Hathaway blows up Ian Moore, and then fights Radko Gudas in retaliation for the hit. Moore is slow leaving the ice, looks like he got hurt. He heads up the tunnel. This has been a nasty game.

Was coming back up to the press box from our PHLY suite takeover, but I guess Anaheim scored. I hear the Say It Ain't So playing. 4-2 now, presumably.

Flyers up 4-1 after two periods. Outshooting the Ducks 31 - 10. But they've lost Bobby Brink and likely Jamie Drysdale to injuries.

Ducks are struggling, and in the 2nd game of a back-to-back. Maybe on a normal night, the Flyers let off the gas pedal a bit in the 3rd and just cruise to a win. Tonight? Especially after that Johnston hit on Drysdale? Wonder if they come out flying to start the 3rd.

Flyers are outshooting the Ducks 29 - 9 tonight. The power plays are part of it, but this is a total domination.

4-1 Flyers. Travis Sanheim, right off the draw. Flyers are running away with this one.

Per Briere, Bobby Brink is out for the rest of the game with an upper-body injury. No word yet on Drysdale, but given how he left the ice, can't imagine he'll be back either.

Flyers come up empty on the entirety of the Johnston major. They're still up 3-1, but if they lose this game, that'll be the clear turning point. Opportunity was there to bury the Ducks.

So the Flyers are down Bobby Brink (never returned from that early hit that Cates responded to) and Jamie Drysdale. They're up 3-1, but that's a heavy toll.

Ross Johnston got a major and a game misconduct for that one, by the way. Obviously. Totally deserved.

Drysdale took that hit with the puck nowhere near him or Johnston. I guess the charitable way to see it is that Johnston didn't see Drysdale coming until the last second, and he put his arm out to brace himself rather than injure Drysdale. Otherwise, it's an utterly vicious hit.

Drysdale is back to his skates and gingerly skating off the ice with help, thankfully. No stretcher needed. Still, that looked bad.

Looked like Drysdale was moving his legs, but they're bringing out the stretcher. Hopefully that's more of a precautionary move than anything else. Scary scene.

Oh jeez. Jamie Drysdale is hurt. Down face first on the ice. I think Ross Johnston caught him.

Goal is going to Cam York for now, but the guys on the ice certainly thought it was Cates' goal. I assume it'll get switched. Always trust the handshake line.

And now Noah Cates scores. 3-1 Flyers just 1:25 into the 2nd.

2-1 Flyers after 20 minutes. Really fun first period -- crowd is into it, Gauthier scores to try to silence them, Zegras scores twice to rev them back up again. Tons of penalties, chippiness, celebrations.

Also, since I was critical of it on NYE and they made the switch and it paid off tonight: good on the Flyers putting Cam York back on the same PP unit with Zegras. Drysdale's been great at 5v5, but York has dramatically outplayed him on the PP this year.

Not sure how Dan Vladar kept that puck out, but no goal for now. Cutter rang one off the post and then the loose puck was behind Vladar forever. He just located and covered it with his glove in time before the Anaheim calvary showed up at his crease.

Briere said today that while they want to keep Trevor Zegras (RFA this summer) and see him as part of their future, they hadn't yet begun conversations with him on a new contract. They might want to get on that.

Two fantastic celebrations from Zegras so far, too. Big scream from him and then smacked his own stick on the ice afterwards on that one. Pure emotion. He downplayed it a bit this morning, but it's clear this game means a lot to him.

Zegras x2 Flyers up 2-0.

too much man by Anaheim, and it's another Flyers PP

And now Trevor Zegras scores against his former team! Sharp angle shot and it's 1-1. The two main characters of the evening have both scored. Great pass from Dvorak (the other sorta main character) to set up Zegras, too.

Well, the Flyers are certainly getting their chances so far. No goals is less a product of Dostal dominated and more missed shots and shooting the puck right into him. But the chances are quality.

New $25(.75) million dollar man Christian Dvorak gets high-sticked and then checked right between the numbers into the boards. Jealous much, Anaheim? Flyers getting their first PP.

Zegras just set up a chance for Barkey with a gorgeous pass from below the goal line. Barkey didn't look like he got much on the shot though. But Zegras is moving well, aside from that penalty.

And now Zegras goes to the box for high-sticking. Got Zellweger a bit up high with a check, I presume. Flyers had better kill this one, or they risk losing the energy of the crowd.

And Gauthier scores on the PP. Well, he showed up this time. 1-0 Ducks.

Flyers going to the PK because of this. But it certainly got the crowd even more excited than they already were (and they already were pretty darn excited).

Bobby Brink gets blown up in the middle of the ice, and then Noah Cates(!) drops the gloves with Harkins in defense.

In case you expected otherwise, the Philadelphia home crowd has not forgiven Cutter Gauthier.

And the "we want Cutter" chants start immediately after puck drop.

Nothing groundbreaking from Daniel Briere pregame talking the Dvorak extension: they think he'll age well, love the example he'll set for young players, not worried about C/F prospects being blocked because they'll find a way to make space if they prove they're ready.

Trevor Zegras said that Christian Dvorak came over to his house to officially sign the contract at 11 PM last night. Said that he needed a witness to sign the deal, and Zegras qualified.

Vladar gets the start tonight.

Tocchet says Michkov had an x-ray on his foot yesterday and it was negative. There's still some swelling though, so he'll be a game-time decision.

Michkov is on the ice today for optional morning skate. Great news after he missed yesterday's practice with a foot injury from Saturday.

I mean, Rodrigo Abols is a better example of a true replacement-level NHL player. Dvorak is more like what Taijuan Walker was when the Phillies signed him -- a decent but not exciting player at a position of serious scarcity in his sport. Hopefully this deal goes better than that one did.

Did you see a scenario where a 34-year old Garnet Hathaway would have 0 points in 34 games? The aging curve can be brutal and unforgiving.

In the here & now, the Dvorak deal is fine. It's a reasonable cap hit & he's a good player! Fits well in Philly. Players will rightfully be thrilled he's staying. And I imagine the same will hold in 2026-27 & (probably) 2027-28. I mostly worry about the term.