VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Carl Grundstrom scored the go-ahead goal early in the second period and the Philadelphia Flyers gave coach Rick Tocchet a victory against his former team, beating the Canucks 6-3 on Tuesday night in his return to Vancouver.
Tocchet, who walked away as coach of the Canucks in late April, was recognized on the big screen midway through the first period and met by both boisterous boos and a smattering of cheers.
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Vancouver Canucks' Evander Kane (91) and Philadelphia Flyers' Nick Seeler (24) fight during the first period of an NHL game in Vancouver, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Philadelphia Flyers' Owen Tippett (74) and Vancouver Canucks' Elias Pettersson, right, slide into goaltender Thatcher Demko (35) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, B.C., Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Philadelphia Flyers' Travis Konecny (11) scores on Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko (35) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, B.C., Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Philadelphia Flyers' Carl Grundstrom (91) celebrates his goal against the Vancouver Canucks with Rodrigo Abols (18) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, B.C., Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Philadelphia Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet yells during the third period of an NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks in Vancouver, on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Bobby Brick, Noah Cates and Travis Konecny each had a goal and an assist for the Flyers (20-11-7). Owen Tippet and Christian Dvorak also scored, and Dan Vladar stopped 32 shots.
Matvei Michkov and Trevor Zegras each had two assists.
David Kampf and Drew O’Connor each had a goal and assist for Vancouver (16-20-3). Tom Willander scored his second of the season, and Thatcher Demko made 27 saves.
After getting outshot 10-0 over the first 10 minutes, Philadelphia picked up steam and Grundstrom gave the Flyers a 2-1 lead 3:40 into the second. The Swedish winger has seven goals this season, including one in each of his last four games.
Cates and Brick both scored their 10th goal of the season, giving Philadelphia six players with double-digit goals. Montreal is the only other team with six or more double-digit goal scorers.
Kampf and Jake DeBrusk returned to the Canucks' lineup after being healthy scratches in Seattle on Monday.
Flyers: At the Calgary Flames on Wednesday, the fourth stop on a five-game trip.
Canucks: Host the Seattle Kraken on Friday.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL
Vancouver Canucks' Evander Kane (91) and Philadelphia Flyers' Nick Seeler (24) fight during the first period of an NHL game in Vancouver, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Philadelphia Flyers' Owen Tippett (74) and Vancouver Canucks' Elias Pettersson, right, slide into goaltender Thatcher Demko (35) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, B.C., Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Philadelphia Flyers' Travis Konecny (11) scores on Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko (35) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, B.C., Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Philadelphia Flyers' Carl Grundstrom (91) celebrates his goal against the Vancouver Canucks with Rodrigo Abols (18) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, B.C., Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Philadelphia Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet yells during the third period of an NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks in Vancouver, on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand on Wednesday released 18 Cambodian prisoners of war held for five months, fulfilling the terms of a ceasefire agreement the two countries signed to end bitter fighting along their border.
The release was stipulated in the ceasefire agreement signed Saturday by the defense ministers of the two countries at the same border checkpoint between Thailand’s Chanthaburi province and Cambodia's Pailin province where the soldiers were released.
“The repatriation of the 18 Cambodian soldiers was undertaken as a demonstration of goodwill and confidence-building, as well as in adherence to international humanitarian principles,” Thailand’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Cambodia’s Defense Ministry said the release “creates an environment conducive to peace, stability, and the full normalization of relations for the benefit of both nations and their people in the near future.”
The soldiers’ release removes a major impediment toward that goal after two rounds of destructive combat over competing territorial claims.
Thailand had insisted it was allowed to hold the men under provisions of the Geneva Conventions governing the rules of war, which said they could be detained until the end of hostilities. The prisoners were allowed visits by the International Committee of the Red Cross and other rights covered under international humanitarian law, Thai authorities said.
Their continued detention was used effectively by Cambodia’s government to rally nationalist sentiment in the conflict against Thailand.
Wednesday’s statement from Cambodia’s defense ministry said the government “has remained steadfast in the promise made to the families of the 18 soldiers and the Cambodian people: that no soldier would be left behind.”
Video distributed by Cambodia's Information Ministry showed crowds along the road from the border checkpoint to the city of Pailin cheering and waving small flags as a bus carrying the freed men drove by in a motorcade. They were expected to be flown Wednesday to the capital Phnom Penh.
The ceasefire agreement said the soldiers would be freed if the end of combat was sustained for 72 hours after it came into effect at noon on Saturday. The 72 hours passed on Tuesday, but Thai authorities said they needed to evaluate the situation, claiming that 250 Cambodian drones had been active along the border.
The two countries had given differing accounts of the circumstances of the men’s capture, which took place on the same day the initial ceasefire came into effect at the end of July.
Cambodian officials say their soldiers approached the Thai position with friendly intentions to offer post-fighting greetings, while Thai officials said the Cambodians appeared to have hostile intent and entered what Thailand considers its territory and subsequently were taken prisoner.
There were originally 20 Cambodia soldiers taken captive, but two were repatriated within days for what were said to be medical reasons.
The original July ceasefire was brokered by Malaysia and pushed through by pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened to withhold trade privileges unless Thailand and Cambodia agreed. It was formalized in more detail in October at a regional meeting in Malaysia that Trump attended.
Despite those deals, the countries carried on a bitter propaganda war and minor cross-border violence continued, escalating in early December to widespread heavy fighting.
Thailand lost 26 soldiers and one civilian as a direct result of the combat since Dec. 7, according to officials. Thailand also reported 44 civilian deaths.
Sopheng Cheang reported from Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Cambodian police officers stand guard as they wait for 18 soldiers released after being captured and held by the Thai army, at former Phnom Penh International Airport in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
In this photo released by Agence Kampuchea Press (AKP), Cambodian soldiers, center, arrive after being captured and held by the Thai army, at Prum border gate, in Pailin province, Cambodia, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AKP via AP)
In this photo released by Agence Kampuchea Press (AKP), Cambodian soldiers sit in a van as they arrive after being captured and held by the Thai army, at Prum border gate, in Pailin province, Cambodia, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AKP via AP)
In this photo released by Agence Kampuchea Press (AKP), Cambodian soldiers are welcomed by villagers upon their arrival at Prum border gate, in Pailin province, Cambodia, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, after being captured and held by Thailand. (AKP via AP)
In this photo released by Agence Kampuchea Press (AKP), Cambodian soldiers, center, arrive after being captured and held by the Thai army, at Prum border gate, in Pailin province, Cambodia, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AKP via AP)
