Six games.
The Philadelphia Flyers (22-17-8) are on a six-game skid after the New York Rangers (21-22-6) beat them down at The Call Center, 6-3. It’s the longest losing streak of the 2025-2026 NHL Regular Season for the Flyers, doubling their previous longest losing streak of three games. A key difference between now and then is Philadelphia’s health.
Another shoe couldn’t drop after Tyson Foerster (arm) was lost for the rest of the 2025-2026 NHL Regular Season. However, it’s hockey. The Flyers are reeling from the result of an unhealthy lineup. Philadelphia went on its three-game losing streak after Foerster was injured. Then, after Bobby Brink (upper body), Rasmus Ristolainen (upper body), and Dan Vladař (undisclosed) were injured, the team is in a free fall in the NHL Standings.
There’s no special team cohesion in sight. If you watched this performance versus the Rangers, then you would see there’s not a goaltender to be found, either.
It wasn’t simply a crushing loss because of the score. The Flyers already lost by more than three goals in consecutive games to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Rangers are dead last in the NHL Eastern Conference. Then, there’s the oncoming storm of a three-game road trip Philadelphia is about to go on.
Things are likely to get worse. Ristolainen will not travel with the Flyers on the upcoming road trip, and it’s not certain Vladař will join, either. Then, to add Rodrigo Ābols (leg) to the list, who suffered an injury described by Rick Tocchet as ‘not good.’
Before it does, here’s more about Philadelphia’s matinee collapse versus the Rangers.
First Period
Shots: 8-6, Flyers
Score: 3-1, Rangers
Alexei Kolosov started, and that would change soon. Keep in mind, Kolosov lasted 8:25 into the first period. The defense needed to play well in front of their goaltenders, particularly after Vladař got injured. That didn’t happen, but Kolosov didn’t make saves, either. Take that literally, Kolosov finished his start with a 0%SV.
“We’re not a team that can open it up, right? You can tell, and when you’re a little bit tired, some guys have lost a little bit of confidence, you’ve got to stay with structure. Running around, that’s something we started from training camp. It’s on me to get these guys back on the rails. We just have to play a certain way to be able to compete. You saw, when we start trying to open it up, poking, going, not being underneath piles; there’s [a] time and place to go, but we’re caught in between. We got guys poking and going, and they’re on the wrong side of the puck. That’s what happens. If you look at every game we’ve played: Kucherov [Nikita Kucherov], Point [Brayden Point], Tage Thompson, Panarin [Artemi Panarin], and Zibanejad [Mika Zibanejad]; you can’t give those guys time and space, and that’s what happens. They convert on their chances. We’ve got to get back to our identity, and that’s playing smart hockey, playing disciplined, and then we can’t get behind the eight-ball. We’re always losing two or three-nothing before the game even starts. We can’t chase.” – Rick Tocchet; 1/17/2026
Ābols got his foot caught in the ice, battling for the puck in the corner boards of the offensive zone with Gabe Perreault. He couldn’t put any weight on his right leg and was helped to the locker room by the trainers.
Vladislav Gavrikov went to advance a pass to Mika Zibanejad, who couldn’t control the feed in the neutral zone. Travis Sanheim pushed the puck forward to Trevor Zegras, who crossed a saucer-pass to Travis Konecny, who scored from the right faceoff dot, 1-0, with 13:38 remaining in the first period.
For all of the times there’s a comment about the Flyers not scoring first, scoring first didn’t help either. In fact, the game fell apart at the seams.
Alexis Lafrenière helped generate a three-on-two rush with Vincent Trocheck and Artemi Panarin against Cam York and Owen Tippett. The Rangers crafted a beautiful play with Sanheim catching up to the three-on-two rush. Panarin and Trocheck swapped wings on the rush at the slot, allowing Trocheck to dish a quick pass to Panarin. Lafrenière left the puck settled in the slot, then Trocheck nabbed the primary assist when Panarin scored with Kolosov out of position, 1-1, with 12:55 remaining in the first period.
Noah Cates turned the puck over in the defensive zone in an attempt to advance the puck to Matvei Michkov. Braden Schneider denied that pass, and JT Miller kept on the attack. He passed to Zibanejad at the point, who grabbed a lead, 2-1, with 12:34 remaining in the first period.
Christian Dvorak took a shot that sailed wide of Spencer Martin. Carl Grundström lagged severely on the defensive transition, and Will Cuylle was up the wing on the attack, generating a three-on-one rush. Sanheim was the defender back to take on three oncoming Rangers. Cuylle crossed the puck to Brennan Othmann, who scored his first career NHL goal to extend the lead, 3-1, with 11:35 remaining in the second period.
Kolosov finished 0/3 (0%SV) with 3GA. Sam Ersson entered.
Ersson made his first save on a shot by Will Borgen. He received the sarcastic cheers from the Philadelphia crowd.
Cuylle served a minor penalty for roughing. The Flyers didn’t record a shot on goal during their sole power play, finishing 0/1 (0%).
Second Period
Shots: 19-15, Rangers
Score: 6-2, Rangers
Michkov served a minor penalty for tripping. Ersson denied Panarin on the penalty kill, which was more than Kolosov provided at even-strength. He was a huge contributor to Philadelphia beginning 1/1 on the penalty kill.
“A stupid trip, kicking somebody’s leg underneath. The guys are trying, but these are just key moments. You’ve got to be focused. That’s the growth that the team’s going to have to go through.” – Rick Tocchet; 1/17/2026
Then, Michkov served a minor penalty for delay of the game. The Flyers became disjointed, and it took quality players off the ice, allowing the Rangers to deploy their hot power play. Panarin found a slight seam, fed the pass to Zibanejad to score on the power play, 4-1, with 14:22 remaining in the second period. Philadelphia finished 2/3 (66%) on the penalty kill. Their streak of leaking power play goals continues.
York cut off an area pass by Miller in the neutral zone, but lost possession along the boards to Scott Morrow. Morrow advanced the puck to Zibanejad, who participated in tic-tac passing with Miller on an abbreviated two-on-one that split Jamie Drysdale. Zibanejad completed the hat-trick, 5-1, with 11:35 remaining in the second period. The Rangers fans, who always travel well, littered The Call Center with hats.
Denver Barkey would be checked out in the tunnel, but returned to the ice to the relief of the Flyers. Not only did he return, but he also contributed in the third period.
Lafrenière took a shot that sailed wide of Ersson, and Garnet Hathaway made it to the puck in the defensive zone. Panarin chipped the puck away from Hathaway to Lafrenière, who dished back to Panarin. Panarin used Drysdale as a screen to score, 6-1, with 5:29 remaining in the second period.
Nikita Grebenkin served a minor penalty for tripping. This would be the final penalty committed by Philadelphia, and despite being pounded at even-strength and on the penalty kill, Sanheim scored shorthanded, 6-2, with 3:12 remaining in the second period. Konecny intercepted a pass by Trocheck, then pushed up the ice with Sanheim while Gavrikov retreated. Sanheim finished the two-on-one, snapping the shot past Martin.
Third Period
Shots: 28-28
Score: 6-3, Rangers
Suddenly, the Flyers showed an uptick in urgency, though the game was quite out of reach. It would be quite the task to overcome a four-goal deficit in the third period, which didn’t happen as predicted. However, Dvorak and Tippett began to find shooting space, forcing Martin to make saves to keep the four-goal lead.
Zegras advanced the puck to Tippett on the offensive zone entry, who dished back to Zegras in the slot for a scoring chance. Martin made the initial save, then Barkey got involved. A few saves by Martin turned into a few rebounds, which ended up on Zegras’ stick. Zegras eventually scored, 6-3, with 11:59 remaining in the third period.
Konecny nearly scored another on Martin, but he bobbled the pass from Noah Juulsen. It allowed Martin to get in position, though Konecny lifted the puck for a high-danger scoring chance. Grebenkin followed up the effort on the forecheck, keeping the pressure on Martin in what was the strongest period by Philadelphia.
Dvorak sprung Sean Couturier on a breakaway, but Schneider was quickly on his back. Couturier isn’t fleet-footed, and Martin stopped the backhand attempt to finish off the Flyers.
It’s a shame Ersson will take the losing decision instead of Kolosov based on the comparative stat line between the two goaltenders. Ersson finished 22/25 (88%SV) with 3GA. Not enough, but not a goose-egg either.
Up Next
Next, the Philadelphia Flyers visit the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday at 8pm/ET.
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