The Philadelphia Flyers left the ice Saturday night with a point, but the 4–3 shootout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes left a sour taste in their mouths.
It was a game that revealed exactly how the Flyers can handle one of the league’s most aggressive pressure teams—and what happens when that plan slips away.
1. The First Period Was the Blueprint Against Carolina.
The Flyers’ opening 20 minutes were strong. They exited the first period with a 2–0 lead and, more importantly, control over how the game was being played.
Rick Tocchet pointed to the central challenge Carolina presents and how the Flyers initially met it head-on.
“We had a really great first period; I really liked our start," Tocchet said postgame. "Carolina is a pressure team, and you’ve got to go at them with pressure.”
Instead of retreating or defaulting to conservative clears, the Flyers attacked Carolina’s forecheck with movement and intent. They handled pressure on the walls, moved pucks decisively, and forced the Hurricanes into defensive situations where they’re less comfortable.
Tocchet also highlighted where those decisions pay off most.
“If we make a couple of wall plays, we’ll have those two-on-ones, three-on-ones," he explained. "Carolina puts on a lot of pressure, but I think they’re the worst team when it comes to odd-man rushes, so that’s when you really need to dig in.”
That approach produced results early—and set a standard for how the game needed to be played.
2. Backing Off Allowed Carolina Back Into the Game.
The turning point didn’t come from a single breakdown, but from a gradual shift in posture.
As the Hurricanes increased their pressure in the second period, the Flyers stopped skating into it. The assertive wall play from the first period faded, and possession began dying in safer—but less productive—areas of the ice.
Tocchet was direct about where things unraveled, saying, “I think we backed off and we started to stop skating. We need some wall—if we make a couple of wall plays, we’ll have those two-on-ones, three-on-ones.”
The Flyers did some things well as the game progressed, particularly in limiting shot volume, but the cost was momentum. Carolina thrives when opponents hesitate, and once the Flyers ceded that space, the Hurricanes took over the territorial battle.
Still, Tocchet acknowledged that not everything fell apart.
“We cut the shots down, which is good," he said. "There’s positives. I’m gonna take the positives, but I think we’ve just gotta start to learn when teams put pressure on us… we can’t back off.”
3. Zegras Continues to Be the Offensive Engine.
Trevor Zegras was involved in both Flyers goals, finishing with a goal and an assist to reach 30 points on the season—the first Flyer to do so this year.
Beyond the milestone, his game fit the moment. Against one of the league’s most suffocating defensive teams, Zegras remained poised, productive, and efficient. He didn’t try to force offense through traffic; he took what Carolina gave him and made them pay for it.
Bobby Brink’s eighth goal of the season and Carl Grundstrom’s continued production underscored a broader trend: the Flyers continue to not have to rely on one line or one look to generate offense. Even as Carolina tightened the game, Philadelphia continued to get meaningful contributions throughout the lineup.
4. Ersson’s Performance Was Better Than the Numbers Suggest.
Sam Ersson’s stat line doesn’t fully reflect his night, particularly in overtime.
He was sharp during Carolina’s extended possession in the extra frame, keeping the Flyers alive long enough to earn the shootout chance. Tocchet made it clear there’s no concern about his goaltender.
“I’ve watched [Ersson] in practice," he said postgame. "I’ve talked to him; we’ve had some long talks. And [goalie coach Kim Dillabaugh] does a great job, so [Ersson] is fine.”
In a game where margins were thin and pressure was constant, Ersson gave the Flyers stability when they needed it most.
5. The Shootout Was the Exception, Not the Rule.
The Flyers’ frustration peaked in the shootout, where they failed to score—an unusual outcome for a team that typically fares well in that setting, particularly with Ersson in net.
There wasn’t a breakdown or a lack of execution earlier in the game that led to that result. Sometimes, the shootout simply doesn’t go your way. On this night, that was the difference between two points and one.
The Bigger Picture
The Flyers showed, very clearly, how they can handle Carolina when they commit to skating into pressure and owning the walls. They also saw how quickly that advantage disappears when those habits slip.
A point still matters. But the value of this game lies in how obvious the lessons were—and how repeatable the solutions remain if the Flyers choose to lean into them next time.