The Philadelphia Flyers (31-23-12) kick off their three-game California road trip tonight with a late-night matchup against the Anaheim Ducks (37-27-3). Puck drop is set for 10pm/ET in Anaheim, where the teams separated by just three points in the standings find themselves in very different positions within their respective divisions.
Anaheim enters the night sitting 1st in the Pacific Division with 77 points through 67 games, while Philadelphia, despite trailing by only three points with a game in hand, sits 5th in the Metropolitan Division.
Discipline has not exactly been a strong suit for either side, as the Ducks have totaled 665 penalty minutes (5th) while the Flyers sit just behind with 657 (T-6th). That aggressiveness has not exactly translated into dominance on special teams, though. The Flyers’ penalty kill sits at 78.1% (22nd), while the Ducks are just behind at 77.6% (25th). On the flip side, neither power play has found much rhythm, Anaheim converts at 17.1% (T-25th), and Philadelphia remains at the bottom of the league at 15.2%.
For the Flyers, the power play has gone particularly cold at the worst possible time. They have come up empty on their last 11 opportunities, with their last power play goal coming from Matvei Michkov back on March 9 against the New York Rangers.
Previous Matchup
The last meeting between these two teams on January 6 in Philadelphia was one of the Flyers’ most memorable games of the season. It marked Trevor Zegras’ first game against his former team, and he delivered in a big way.
Zegras scored twice in a 5-2 Flyers win, with additional goals from Cam York, Travis Sanheim, and Nikita Grebenkin. The Ducks’ offense came exclusively on the power play, with goals from Cutter Gauthier and Alex Killorn. Dan Vladař turned aside 16 of 18 shots for Philadelphia, while Lukáš Dostál faced heavy pressure, stopping 34 of 38.
The game itself was physical and, at times, chaotic, with Anaheim racking up 39 penalty minutes compared to Philadelphia’s 26. It also featured injuries to Bobby Brink and Jamie Drysdale, as well as fights involving Noah Cates and Garnet Hathaway. Still, the Flyers maintained their composure and controlled the game where it mattered.
Injury Report: Philadelphia Flyers
- Rodrigo Ābols (Ankle)
- Tyson Forester (Arm)
Injury Report: Anaheim Ducks
- Petr Mrázek (Hip)
- Ross Johnston (Lower-body)
Where: Honda Center; Anaheim, CA
When: 03/18/2026; 10pm/ET
TV Broadcast: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Last Game PHI: 03/14/2026; 1-2 SO L; vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
Last Game ANA: 03/15/2026; 4-3 W; @ Montreal Canadiens
Philadelphia Flyers
All eyes will be on Zegras once again as he returns to Anaheim for the first time since being traded last summer. The former Duck spent five seasons in Anaheim, recording 67 goals and 119 assists in 268 games. Now in Philadelphia, he is enjoying another strong campaign with 22 goals, putting him on pace to set a new career high.
Drysdale will also be facing his former club. The defenseman spent three and a half seasons in Anaheim and is in the midst of a career-best year with 7 goals and 20 assists, despite missing 3 games after the injury he sustained on January 6th. He has a goal and an assist in the 3 games he has appeared in against the Ducks.
Vladař is expected to get the nod in net for Philadelphia. The goaltender has put together a solid season with a 21-11-7 record, a 2.46 goals against average, and a .905 save percentage. He has historically been strong against Anaheim, undefeated in four appearances with a 2.00 GAA and .906 save percentage.
Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim is without their captain, Radko Gudas, who is serving the third game of a five-game suspension following a controversial knee-on-knee collision with Auston Matthews. Gudas’ absence removes a physical, and emotional, presence from the lineup, which could temper some of the intensity we saw in the previous matchup. The Ducks will also be without Ross Johnston due to a lower-body injury. Johnston was responsible for injuring Drysdale in January, so his absence further takes some edge out of this matchup.
Another familiar face on the Ducks’ side in Ryan Poehling, who was part of the Zegras trade last summer. He has found a steady role with the Ducks, posting 8 goals and 21 assists in 60 games this season, and recently secured a four-year contract extension worth $15 million ($3.75 million AAV). He has been particularly effective as of late, tallying four points in his last four games.
Gauthier has emerged as Anaheim’s top offensive weapon, leading the team with 34 goals and 59 points, while Jackson LaCombe leads the Ducks in assists with 39.
Dostál is expected to start in goal for Anaheim. He enters with a 27-15-2 record, a 3.06 GAA, and .891 save percentage. His numbers against Philadelphia have been less favorable. In four career appearances against the Flyers, he holds a 1-3-0 record with a 3.75 GAA and .881 save percentage.
Projected Lineup: Philadelphia Flyers
#20 Alex Bump – #22 Christian Dvorak – #11 Travis Konecny
#29 Nikita Grebenkin – #47 Trevor Zegras – #74 Owen Tippett
#52 Denver Barkey – #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
#80 Dan Vladař
(#33 Sam Ersson)
Projected Lineup: Anaheim Ducks
#20 Chris Kreider – #91 Leo Carlsson – #19 Troy Terry
#17 Alex Killorn – #64 Mikael Granlund – #45 Beckett Sennecke
#28 Jeffrey Viel – #25 Ryan Poehling – #61 Cutter Gauthier
#77 Frank Vatrano – #42 Tim Washe – #24 Jansen Harkins
#2 Jackson LaCombe – #65 Jacob Trouba
#51 Olen Zellweger – #74 John Carlson
#98 Pavel Mintyukov – #3 Ian Moore
#1 Lukáš Dostál
(#33 Ville Husso)
