Another heartless display of ‘hockey’ occurred at Little Caesars Arena Thursday night as the Philadelphia Flyers (0-6-3) attempted to knock off the Detroit Red Wings (2-3-2) for potentially their first win of the season. That didn’t happen due to a late third period tally ending in Detroit skating away victoriously 2-1. The unruly start to Philadelphia’s 2026-27 campaign continued.
“We’ve been having a tough time. There are moments of the game when you have to come through somehow whether it’s scoring a goal or making a defensive stop…we got to seize some big moments and we’re not getting them,” Rick Tocchet said.
The Flyers came out flat against the Red Wings once more, had no consistency, but still managed to survive preserving a 1-1 tie as the final five minutes of regulation neared. To no surprise based on the entirety of the season, a poor defensive breakdown transpired as Michael Rasmussen stood untouched in the crease while surrounded by three orange and white jerseys.
Rasmussen fed a pass far side over to Andrew Copp for an easy tap-in game-winning goal. David Jiříček was out of position letting Copp get behind him only adding to Jiříček’s abysmal performance thus far. It’s okay, because Jiříček reportedly has a hard shot that remains unseen.
The first 15 minutes of play were an eyesore to watch Philadelphia and Detroit, two of three squads last in the Eastern Conference, trying to generate offense. Neither organization could get into the opposition’s defensive zone as center ice ate up every possession. The Red Wings eventually broke through and created a 2-on-1 threat before Noel Acciari’s backcheck intercepted the play.
The Flyers built momentum following Acciari’s effort and moved the puck the other way. Noah Cates’ shot off Viktor Arvidsson stunned the 13-year veteran and ricocheted back to the point. Travis Sanheim picked up the loose puck and put a shot on net that died once hitting Anton Johansson, but it landed on the tape of Porter Martone. The rookie turned and fluttered a scoring attempt that Matvei Michkov batted into the vacant cage.
With his opening tally, Michkov reclaimed the throne of sitting atop the Flyers’ lackluster goals scored total with three. That number becomes even more shameful once notified around the league that Brady Tkachuk, Kirill Marchenko, and Matt Boldy all recorded hat tricks Thursday night. These superstars’ single-game showings would match the Flyers’ lead goal scorer after nine games; a testament to Philadelphia and their inability to find the back of the net.
Michkov’s goal marked the fourth time the Flyers had a lead all season, but a win is a win in these dire conditions. A rare stretch took place subsequently where the Flyers controlled the play, killed a penalty, and found themselves on the man advantage.
Leave it to Philadelphia’s power play, now 2-for-26, to shift the tide in favor of Detroit. After not recording a single shot up an extra player, the Red Wings emerged with a 2-on-1 rush heading straight towards Joseph Woll courtesy of an Owen Tippett turnover. Dylan Larkin sent a pass across to Johansson which tied the game 13 seconds after the Flyers’ power play conceded.
The Red Wings took over from there and onwards leading up to Copp’s game-winner, summarizing how nothing has gone Philadelphia’s way. The Flyers scrambled to cash in during the final seconds as Oliver Bonk had a quality chance to send the game to overtime but missed wide. Failing to execute an entire 60 minutes’ showing of hockey haunts the Flyers.
”I don’t have a good answer to be honest,” Jamie Drysdale responded on the Flyers’ lack of ability to play a full game. “I think we need to attack more. I think just kind of go for it and attack, have that mindset rather than sitting back. I think that only leads to what’s been happening.”
Other attributes hurting the Flyers include the penalties. Philadelphia was penalized on four separate occasions, including one where Tyson Foerster tripped Alex DeBrincat who wasn’t even holding a stick in his hands. Nick Seeler’s trip with 1:29 left in regulation made it 5-on-5 as opposed to 6-on-5 with Woll being pulled for the extra attacker.
There’s no sugarcoating it as this is a full-blown dumpster fire from top-to-bottom. The Flyers rank last in goals scored, goal differential, shots per game, and powerplay percentage.
“We got to get the goal scoring going and put some pucks in the back of the net. I hate to bring up last year but with how stingy we were defensively, it brought us the offense,” Noah Cates said.
Philadelphia is second in goals allowed and their netminders in Woll and Dan Vladař have been tested more than any other tandem, facing a combined 33.6 shots per game. Woll himself had to turn aside 24 of 26 shots in the Detroit matchup while holding his ground. Woll now has a 0-3-2 record with a .916 SV%.
The Flyers’ only saving grace is having company alongside them in the Los Angeles Kings as teams with a zero in front of their record.
Being outshot 303-184 and outscored 32-11 so far while trying to get back into the win column for the first time since Cam York’s overtime series-clincher over Pittsburgh is torturous.
Now the Flyers must look forward to getting out of this rut come Saturday night. Rasmus Ristolainen appears to be inching closer to returning and might be available when Philadelphia returns home in a 7:00 p.m. ET contest against the Ottawa Senators (6-2-0).
FLYERS ALUMNI VEGAS AND IRELAND TRIPS
Flyers Nation and TrueFan Travel have teamed up for two trips with the Flyers Alumni!
The Las Vegas package (March 10–14) includes tickets to Flyers–Golden Knights on March 11 at T-Mobile Arena, an all-inclusive tailgate, optional flights from Philadelphia, a 4-night downtown hotel stay, an alumni pep rally and Q&A, a Flyers vs. Utah watch party, and a meet and greet.
The Ireland Golf & Tour Experience (July 20–27) includes optional flights from Philadelphia, six nights at The Brehon Killarney and Portmarnock Resort, a welcome reception, a meet and greet and Q&A with Brad Marsh, Patrick Sharp, Joe Watson, Bill Clement, Mark Recchi, and John LeClair, a live Coatesy’s Corner, and optional golf at Old Head, Dooks, Portmarnock, and Druids Glen.
Whether you’re chasing a road game in Vegas or a week on the links in Ireland, these are two chances to travel with Flyers legends!
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