Noah Cates scores game-winner in OT to give Flyers the 3-2 win over the Ducks in Anaheim

Jackie Spiegel, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Mar 19, 2026

Published in Hockey

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ANAHEIM, Calif. ― The Flyers showed what they got against the Anaheim Ducks.

In a game that had it all — goals, big saves, a fight, another near fight, and lots of underlying drama with the stands full of fans from both sides, the Orange and Black skated away with a 3-2 overtime win.

Noah Cates put the puck back in front, and Ducks goalie Lukáš Dostál appeared to put it in off his own skate in the extra session. Matvei Michkov got the assist.

The Flyers earned a point for the fourth straight game and have won seven of the past 10. They moved six games back of the two wild card spots with a game in hand on the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings.

Former Flyers forward Ryan Poehling swiped the puck to the middle, and it found a streaking Cutter Gauthier as he got behind Flyers defensemen Cam York and Jamie Drysdale. Gauthier tried to beat Dan Vladař five-hole, but the 6-foot-5 goalie got down and squeezed the pads before stopping Jacob Trouba’s rebound.

The Flyers struck first — and from the fourth line.

Garnet Hathaway, who was back in the lineup for Carl Grundström, and Luke Glendening went three-on-two in the right corner of the Ducks’ zone in the first period.

As the puck went to the left corner, York came down from the point to keep the pressure on Jansen Harkins, who tried to play it back to new Duck defenseman John Carlson. Hathaway was on Carlson immediately, which allowed York to get the loose puck and feed a wide-open Glendening in front for a goal to put the Flyers ahead, 1-0.

The goal was not just his first goal for the Flyers. It was his first of the season, and snapped a 77-game goal drought. Claimed off waivers on March 6, Glendening had four assists in 52 games with the New Jersey Devils. His last NHL goal was on Feb. 23, 2025 against the Seattle Kraken when he played for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

In the second period, the Flyers took a 2-0 lead on a goal by Owen Tippett. Nikita Grebenkin, who has been elevated to Trevor Zegras’ wing, carried the puck in deep and then sent it back to Travis Sanheim at the point.

He sent the puck deep to Tippett behind the net, who, as he whiffed on a centering pass that kept the puck along the boards with Zegras and Grebenkin, slipped to the front of the net. The puck ended up back with Sanheim, and his quick shot deflected off the leg of Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger to an open Tippett for the easy goal.

The goal is Tippett’s 23rd of the season and his fourth in the past six games.

As for Gauthier — who got booed heavily by the large contingent of Flyers fans in attendance — he eventually scored on his third shot on goal and fourth shot attempt after hitting the post, cutting it to a 2-1 game on a power play with 38 seconds to go in the middle frame.

The Flyers started the shift four-on-four when a Zegras pass off the rush went straight through to Beckett Sennecke in the Ducks’ zone. A Calder Trophy candidate, Sennecke carried the puck in and got a return feed, but former Ducks defenseman Drysdale blocked the shot.

The Flyers looked OK for the moment, but Rasmus Ristolainen was knocked off the puck by Pavel Mintyukov in the corner. Gauthier got the puck and skated across the crease before scoring on a backhander over the glove of Vladař. The goal came right as the Ducks started a power-play.

Leo Carlsson tied the game with 1 minute, 54 seconds remaining as he sneaked down to the right post. Troy Terry swiped on a rebound off a Gauthier shot, and the puck bounced to Carlsson with the Ducks’ goalie pulled for an extra attacker. Sixteen seconds prior, Christian Dvorak just missed on the empty net attempt, setting up the deep faceoff.

Breakaways

Zegras was honored with a video tribute in the first TV timeout. … Dvorak played in his 600th NHL game. … York’s assist was the 21st of his season, surpassing his previous career high set two seasons ago. … Defenseman Nick Seeler dropped the gloves with Jansen Harkins in the third period. Reminder, Harkins was the one who blindsided Bobby Brink in Philly. … Mintyukov wanted to go with Michkov and dropped the gloves, but the Flyers winger skated away. They both ended up minors. … The Flyers’ power play continues to struggle, going 0-for-4.

Up next

The Flyers head north to Los Angeles to take on the Kings on Thursday as Flyers after dark rolls on (10:30 p.m., NBCSP).