The Flyers earned it — the game and the expected-goals battle both.
S. Knight had the game of his life, but it wasn't enough to steal the scoreboard. The Flyers' 5–1 win reflected their dominance in shot volume and danger: 62% of shot attempts (42–26), 75% of expected goals (6.77–2.24), and a staggering 13–1 edge in high-danger chances.
Knight's performance was the outlier. He posted a 0.881 save percentage against 6.77 expected goals, saving 1.77 more than expected—a performance that muted what could have been a wider defeat. The Flyers, despite their overwhelming control, underperformed their own xG by 1.77 goals, while the Blackhawks underperformed theirs by 1.24. The deficit in goal-creation quality tells the real story: the Flyers generated 0.094 expected goals per shot, nearly double Chicago's 0.051.
C. Dvorak struck at the crucial moment—a doorstep tip-in early in the second period—but the Flyers' dominance ran deeper than the scoreline. They were lethal off the rush, converting four of 36 rush chances. Chicago generated higher-quality looks than their total shot count suggested; they just weren't finishing. S. Ersson (0.962 SV%, +1.24 vs. expected) was nearly perfect, while the Flyers crashed the net relentlessly, creating nine rebound opportunities and converting one.
This was dominance by the numbers, if not by the scoreline. The Flyers' elite shot quality, aggressive forechecking, and superior positioning created such a gap that even underperforming their xG didn't cost them the game. Knight kept the Blackhawks respectable for as long as he could.