Couturier, Cates each has 3 points, Flyers score 7 in win against Jets

WINNIPEG -- Sean Couturier had two goals and an assist for the Philadelphia Flyers, who maintained their hold on third place in the Metropolitan Division with a 7-1 win against the Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre on Saturday.

“I think we're playing the right way, Couturier said. “We're not giving up a whole lot defensively, so that's good. It's hard for opposing teams to play us. Special teams, PK especially, stepped up tonight, bounced back from a tough game last game in Detroit (a 6-3 loss). That's encouraging, and we've just got to keep going.”

Noah Cates had a goal and two assists, and Matvei Michkov had a goal and an assist for the Flyers (41-27-12), who have won four of five. Rasmus Ristolainen had two assists, and Dan Vladar made 27 saves.

Philadelphia is two points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and three points ahead of the Washington Capitals and New York Islanders. Each team has two games remaining.

“It's awesome. (Couturier’s) been huge for us,” Cates said. “That assist was a big momentum shift for us on that (Travis) Sanheim goal. But then he popped a couple of goals too. And he's just playing the right way, winning face-offs, killing penalties, and like you said, doing all the little things. So for him to get rewarded, it's big for him and for this team.”

Haydn Fleury scored the lone goal for the Jets (35-32-12), who had won three straight.

Connor Hellebuyck allowed five goals on 20 shots before he was replaced by Eric Comrie to begin the third period. Comrie made one save in relief.

Winnipeg is five points behind the Los Angeles Kings, who shut out the Edmonton Oilers 1-0 on Saturday, for the the second wild into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference.

“It is tough because we know how tight it is and the situation we are in where we need points desperately,” Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey said. “At the end of the day, regardless of the score today, we move on and continue to try and control our fate. We have three games left and we have a road trip here and all we can do is try and control what we can control and that is being ready to go against Vegas. There are six possible points left.

"The message is, I think, no one wants to lose like that. It was embarrassing in our own arena. But at the same time, what are we going to do, sit around and cry about it? We have three games left and a huge back-to-back, a tough road trip. Turn the page, fly there tomorrow and get yourself ready to go and let's bring it to the next game. The score hurts right now, embarrassing right now as we drive home, we have to turn the page and keep pushing like we have been.”

Porter Martone gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead at 1:17 of the first period after stealing the puck from Winnipeg forward Adam Lowry inside the defensive zone. Konecny spun around in the high slot on the ensuing rush and passed to Martone, who scored with a sweeping one-timer at the left side of the crease.

“I actually, I almost turned it over,” Konecny said. “And then I knew he was somewhere over there, and it just happened to be probably a lucky play that it went right on his tape, to be honest with you.”

The Jets have allowed the first goal in six straight games, but are 4-2-0 in that stretch.

“We weren’t ready to go, that whole first period we weren’t ready to go,” Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel said. “Philly outplayed us. I’ll take responsibility for that. We were not ready to go throughout our lineup. Player 1 to 20 we were not ready to go.”

Fleury tied it 1-1 at 6:57 when he lifted the rebound from a Cole Koepke wrist shot past Vladar's blocker.

“We didn't get off to the start we liked giving up that goal early, but (Fleury) comes back and gets one right away,” Lowry said. “And then our line gives up two in the next shift, or couple shifts after, and dig ourselves a big hole at home. So, I just think it was the start of the game. And playing from behind, it's a tough League to overcome multiple-goal deficits, and obviously the game snowballed from there.”

Michkov put Philadelphia back up 2-1 at 8:24 with a wrist shot from just outside the top of the left face-off circle past the glove of Hellebuyck.

“Getting some goals, really good efforts from some individuals,” Flyers coach Rick Tocchet said. “(Winnipeg) made a push and (Vladar) was there for us, so it was a really good team effort.”

Couturier made it 3-1 just 25 seconds later at 8:49. He forced Fleury to turn the puck over, curled in the right circle and roofed a snap shot short side into the top corner.

“They got the better of us,” Arniel said. “Second period, 3-1 game, we got better, a little bit more, had some opportunities, and then again gave up a couple quick goals and the game was over after 5-1.”

Travis Sanheim extended the lead to 4-1 at 11:41 of the second period when his slap shot from the point trickled through Hellebuyck's five-hole.

“It's one of those ones, whether we lost 7-1 or 3-2, it's critical points we lost,” Lowry said. “And now we know the situation we're in that (we) pretty much have to pick up every point the rest of the way. And, hopefully we can get some help.”

Cates increased it to 5-1 with a short-handed goal at 19:28. He collected a pass from Christian Dvorak in the right circle and snapped the puck in off the left post. Dvorak's assist was his 300th NHL point (123 goals, 177 assists).

“It's just that belief, that trust in this room,” Cates said. “Everyone's going, everyone's playing their best hockey, everyone's playing for the crest, is kind of what it feels like. And it's been a ton of fun. Just no passengers, we're playing hard, and like I said, we have huge games next week and we just got to keep playing, playing the right way. Everyone playing to their identity and to our team identity.”

Couturier scored his second goal to make it 6-1 at 6:23 of the third period, gathering a loose puck before going forehand-backhand in front and roofing it over a sprawling Comrie under the bar.

“Playing in these type of moments, it's huge,” Tocchet said. “(Couturier) had a hell of a game for us, (penalty killing) and then obviously scoring goals for us.”

Nick Seeler scored at 13:32 on a wrist shot from the left circle under Comrie's right arm to secure the 7-1 final.

NOTES: Martone extended his point streak to four games (three goals, three assists). He became the fourth Flyers teenager in the past decade to record a run of that length, joining Joel Farabee (five games and four games in 2019-20), Michkov (five games in 2024-25) and Nolan Patrick (five games in 2017-18). ... Martone has seven points (three goals, four assists) in seven games since making his NHL debut on Mar. 31. ... Michkov has seven points (two goals, five assists) in his past five games. ... Sanheim set a new career high for goals in a season with 11, besting his previous high of 10 he set during the 2023-24 season. He also tied Ivan Provorov (65) for the fourth-most goals by a defenseman in Flyers history.