The Flyers earned it — the game and the expected-goals battle both.
Philadelphia edged Montreal 5-4 in a shootout, backed by superior underlying play: the Flyers controlled 60% of 5v5 expected goals (5.06–3.31), translating structural advantages into victory.
The Flyers' dominance was apparent across metrics. Philadelphia outshot Montreal 42–20 at even strength, won high-danger chances 8–4, and controlled the offensive pace throughout. Montreal generated some chances—3 goals on 27 rush opportunities and 4 rebound chances with 1 conversion—but operated from a deficit in volume.
Montembeault's elite performance obscured how thorough the Flyers' advantage was. The Canadiens goaltender posted a 0.905 SV% and stopped 1.1 goals above expected, while Vladar underperformed his expected save percentage by 0.69 goals. This split compressed a margin that the underlying numbers suggested should have been wider.
The power-play disparity reflected the game's shape. Montreal converted 2 goals on just 4 power-play shots, from only 0.34 expected goals—clinical execution on limited danger. Philadelphia converted at a lower rate (2 PPG on 19 shots from 1.99 xG), but from substantially more dangerous positions. On the rush, both teams scored 3 goals, but Philadelphia reached that from 37 chances versus Montreal's 27.