The Philadelphia Flyers (4-3-1) host the Pittsburgh Penguins (7-2-1) at the Xfinity Mobile Arena. The opening faceoff is scheduled for 6pm/ET.
This intrastate rivalry writes a new chapter. It’ll be rejuvenated as a nationally televised contest on ESPN. Both clubs will go head-to-head with a winning points-percentage, which couldn’t be said last season. In 2024-2025, these rival franchises were rebuilding or retooling. In 2025-2026, the Flyers and Penguins added more juice to their strides.
Currently, Pittsburgh (3rd) is among the elite of the NHL. The Penguins have the edge in goals scored (38; 1st), goals scored per game played (3.8; 2nd), power play (33.3%; 2nd), shots per game played (25.6; 27th), and goals against per game played (2.6; 8th). Philadelphia (21st) has its work cut out on home ice. The Flyers have the edge in goals against (21; 2nd), penalty kill (87.1%; 8th), shots against per game played (26.5; 11th), and faceoff win percentage (52.3%; 7th).
Defense remains the backbone for Philadelphia. They’ve gone head-to-head with tough opponents throughout the early stages of the 2025-2026 NHL Regular Season. Arguably, Pittsburgh could be their greatest test to date.
As a player and a coach, Rick Tocchet has a storied history with both franchises.
“It’s a great rivalry over the years. I’ve lived it obviously, [as an] assistant coach in Pittsburgh [Penguins], [and] playing in Pittsburgh. It’s a great rivalry; [they’re] both great cities. [They] both had their share of success, either way. I hate using the word hate, but there’s, you know, which is good. I think rivals should be that way, where they’re intense. [It] usually happens when both teams are successful, and obviously, Pittsburgh’s [the] hottest team in the league and one of our rivals. So, you’re looking for that kind of game tonight.” – Rick Tocchet; 10/28/2025
Injury Report: Philadelphia Flyers
Injury Report: Pittsburgh Penguins
- Kevin Hayes (upper body)
- Caleb Jones (lower body)
- Rickard Rakell (hand)
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena; Philadelphia, PA
When: 10/28/2025; 6pm/ET
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Last Game PHI: 10/25/25; 4-3 W/SO; vs. New York Islanders
Last Game PIT: 10/27/25; 6-3 W; vs. St. Louis Blues
Philadelphia Flyers
Sam Ersson (1-1-1; 3.5GAA; 86.1%SV) will start. Tocchet mentioned, while Dan Vladař was the hot hand, how he wouldn’t have any issues playing Ersson, and that he would. Ersson earned his first win of the season versus the New York Islanders in a shootout, 4-3.
Rodrigo Ābols will center a line featuring Nicolas Deslauriers and Garnet Hathaway. Yesterday, the Flyers sent Jett Luchanko back to the Guelph Storm in the OHL. That essentially locks Ābols as the 4C in Philadelphia. Nikita Grebenkin (1A) will come out of the lineup to play Deslauriers. It’s a curious decision because Grebenkin played a strong game (7:34TOI) versus the Islanders.
Trevor Zegras (2G, 6A) had himself a day on Saturday. He had his fingerprints on every scoring play, including a disgusting primary assist to Christian Dvorak (2G, 2A) to expose Ilya Sorokin, an even-strength goal, and a power play goal to send Philadelphia into overtime. In the shootout, Zegras and Matvei Michkov (1G, 2A) combined to score, securing two points toward the NHL Standings. Zegras would need to make another impact on the scoreboard versus the Penguins to keep up his point-per-game pace.
Jamie Drysdale (3A) is off to one of the strongest starts of his career, which is incredible considering Philadelphia isn’t yet healthy on defense. He’ll quarterback the first power play unit, which needs to get back on track against Pittsburgh’s penalty kill (80%; 14th).
“If you go from day one of training camp ‘til now, two months, I’ve liked the progression of the movement and some of the [power play] concepts that we’re trying to give them. Now, the next part is the execution. It’s something that we got to get better at; don’t throw pucks away, [and] being able to make a play under pressure. That power play is really what it’s about. You beat pressure, and now, can you make that next play? It’s been hit or miss on the next play, but if you look at the goal we scored [vs. New York Islanders], Zegras’ [Trevor Zegras] goal; we attack, Bobby Brink comes off the wall, he attacks the interior, he shoots it, [and there’s] three at the net. Boom, we’re in the net. Everybody wants set plays; the best power plays, Winnipeg [Jets], Colorado [Avalanche], these teams; if you beat pressure, then it’s on. Whatever’s on it, it’s on. You just play, right? There’s certain things that we’re looking for. If the net-front defense is playing the bumper, we should be looking for a low play. Those are the reads we got to get some of our players up to speed in. If a team’s topping down on us, what are we looking to do? We’re looking to hit the bumper back to the point with a shot. That should be a natural reaction. Right now, we’re a little in-between. If we catch up with the reads, all of us, coaches included, we got to practice it; we got to get these guys understanding it. If we get our reads better and execute, that’s when the power play starts to go. Overall, I don’t think it’s as bad as people say it is, but the optics; the two-on-one’s [and] the shorthanded goals, I agree, it’s awful. We can’t do that. The optic of that, it looks bad for the power play. Let’s put it that way.” – Rick Tocchet; 10/28/2025
Lineup: Philadelphia Flyers
Tippett-Couturier-Konecny
Foerster-Cates-Brink
Zegras-Dvorak-Michkov
Deslauriers-Ābols-Hathaway
York-Sanheim
Seeler-Drysdale
Zamula-Juulsen
Ersson
(Vladař)
Lineup: Pittsburgh Penguins
Hållander-Crosby-Rust
Mantha-Malkin-Brazeau
Novak-Kindel-Koivunen
Dewar-Lizotte-Acciari
Shea-Letang
Wotherspoon-Karlsson
Pickering-Dumba
Šilovs
(Jarry)
