The Philadelphia Flyers (34-24-12) continue the final stretch of the season, taking on the Chicago Blackhawks (27-31-13) at Xfinity Mobile Arena, with puck drop set for 7pm/ET. After a tough loss on Tuesday night, the Flyers are in need of a strong bounce-back performance, and they will be looking to come out with energy, urgency, and a bit of desperation as the playoff race tightens.
While Chicago has not been mathematically eliminated, they sit at the bottom of the Central Division with 67 points, currently 10 points back of the second Western Conference Wild Card spot. The Flyers, meanwhile, are still within striking distance, just 5 points behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern Conference Wild Card spot with a game in hand.
The Blackhawks have the league’s top penalty kill at 84.5%, while the Flyers sit tied for 20th at 78.1%. On the flip side, neither power play has been particularly dangerous. Chicago ranks tied for 22nd at 18.1%, and Philadelphia remains at the bottom of the league at 14.8%.
At even strength, the matchup is fairly close. The Flyers are averaging 2.79 goals per game compared to Chicago’s 2.59, while allowing slightly fewer goals against (3.00 vs. 3.14). Both teams have struggled offensively at times this season, with the Flyers ranking 26th in goals scored with 195 and the Blackhawks 29th with 184. Neither team generates much volume either. Chicago averages a league-low 24.4 shots per game, while Philadelphia sits 29th in the league at 25.2. However, the Flyers have done a better job limiting chances against, allowing 25.7 shots per game compared to the Blackhawks’ 30.0.
Previous Matchup
The last time these two teams met, just before the holiday break in December, the Flyers earned a 3-1 win in Chicago. Travis Konecny opened the scoring, followed by a Noah Cates power play goal in the second. Ryan Donato got the Blackhawks on the board late in the period, but an empty-net goal from Carl Grundström sealed the win. Sam Ersson stopped 20 of 21 shots, while Spencer Knight made 23 saves in the loss.
Injury Report: Philadelphia Flyers
- Nikita Grebenkin (Upper-body)
- Tyson Forester (Arm)
- Rodrigo Ābols (Ankle)
Injury Report: Chicago Blackhawks
- Andrew Mangiapane (Undisclosed)
- Matt Grzelcyk (Upper-body)
- Oliver Moore (Lower-body)
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena; Philadelphia, PA
When: 03/26/2026; 7pm/ET
TV Broadcast: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Last Game PHI: 03/24/2026; 2-3 L; vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
Last Game CHI: 03/24/2026; 4-3 W; @ New York Islanders
Philadelphia Flyers
Offensively, Travis Konecny, Trevor Zegras, and Owen Tippett continue to lead the way. Konecny paces the team in both goals (25) and assists (35), with Tippett right behind him in goals (24) and Zegras close in assists (34). Christian Dvorak has also been heating up, recording three points (1G, 2A) over his last two games.
Sean Couturier picked up his eighth goal of the season on Tuesday, and his third since returning from the Olympic break. It is a good sign as he looks to build some consistency down the final stretch. Noah Cates has also been on a tear, tallying 12 points (5G, 7A) in 14 games since the break.
Sam Ersson will get the start for the Flyers tonight. He is 11-10-5 this season with a 3.28 GAA and .864 SV%, though his numbers have improved since the Olympic break. He has won each of his last three starts, allowing just five goals over that stretch. This will be his fourth career start against Chicago, where he is 2-1-0 with a 2.33 GAA and .895 SV%.
Chicago Blackhawks
Sacha Boisvert is set to make his NHL debut tonight for the Blackhawks. The 18th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft signed his entry-level contract on March 16, though his arrival was delayed due to visa issues. Boisvert spent the 2024-25 season at North Dakota, recording 32 points (18G, 14A) in 32 games, before transferring to Boston University for 2025-26. He was limited to 26 games due to a shoulder injury but still put up 17 points (3G, 14A).
Connor Bedard continues to be the driving force for Chicago. He is tied with Tyler Bertuzzi for the team lead in goals (29), despite playing in 10 fewer games, and also leads the team in assists (37) and points (66). His impact is undeniable and he is dangerous every time he is on the ice.
Spencer Knight is expected to start for Chicago. He enters with an 18-19-10 record, a 2.64 GAA, and a .909 SV%. This will be his fourth career start against Philadelphia, where he has posted a 2-1-0 record with a 3.66 GAA and .875 SV%.
Projected Lineup: Philadelphia Flyers
#20 Alex Bump – #22 Christian Dvorak – #11 Travis Konecny
#52 Denver Barkey – #46 Trevor Zegras – #74 Owen Tippett
#91 Carl Grundström – #27 Noah Cates – #39 Matvei Michkov
#41 Luke Glendening – #14 Sean Couturier – #19 Garnet Hathaway
#6 Travis Sanheim – #55 Rasmus Ristolainen
#8 Cam York – #9 Jamie Drysdale
#24 Nick Seeler – #36 Emil Andrae
#33 Sam Ersson
(#80 Dan Vladař)
Projected Lineup: Chicago Blackhawks
#20 Ryan Greene – #98 Connor Bedard – #15 Anton Frondell
#59 Tyler Bertuzzi – #91 Frank Nazar – #71 Nick Lardis
#28 André Burakovsky – #8 Ryan Donato – #95 Ilya Mikheyev
#86 Teuvo Teräväinen – #12 Sacha Boisvert – #84 Landon Slaggert
#72 Alex Vlasic – #55 Artyom Levshunov
#44 Wyatt Kaiser – #6 Sam Rinzel
#38 Ethan Del Mastro – #46 Louis Crevier
#30 Spencer Knight
(#40 Arvid Söderblom)
