Takeaways: Flyers Collect a Point in OT Loss to Kings

The Philadelphia Flyers left Saturday’s matinee against Los Angeles with a single point and an unsatisfying feeling of progress not quite paying off on the scoreboard.

A 3–2 overtime loss to the Kings doesn’t sting the way some recent defeats have, but it still reinforced the growing pains of a team trying to stabilize its game while learning, in real time, what it can and cannot be.

This was the Flyers’ first meeting with Los Angeles this season, a team that swept them a year ago, and it unfolded as a layered, revealing afternoon—one that showed growth and lingering fragility all at once.

For large stretches of the second and third periods, the Flyers played one of their more cohesive games in recent weeks. The forecheck was connected, the neutral zone was tighter, and puck support started to reappear as they leaned back into the structure that made them successful earlier this season. 

Head coach Rick Tocchet was blunt about what’s been holding them back from doing that in recent games.

“We can’t afford to play our own game. We just can’t,” he said postgame. “It’s not an individual sport. We have too many guys, and they don’t mean to do it, but they have to understand we have to play a certain way if we’re gonna compete. We did that in the second and third [periods]; we cleaned stuff up. So that’s really the gist of it.”

The Flyers don’t have the margin for freelancing, especially against disciplined opponents like the Kings. When they simplified their pressure and trusted the next read instead of forcing one, they controlled long stretches of play. 

This wasn’t their most dominant performance, but it was a recognizable one. And for a team trying to crawl out of inconsistency, every little step out of the mud matters.

One of the most intriguing developments of the afternoon came when Trevor Zegras lined up at center between Matvei Michkov and Bobby Brink. The trio generated immediate offense, particularly in the first period, using pace, spacing, and off-puck movement to stress the Kings’ coverage.

Zegras’ power-play goal—his 20th of the season—was the obvious highlight, but the even-strength shifts were just as telling. The puck moved quickly, but all three players were engaged with and without it.

“Yeah, it was good,” Zegras said. “We were moving our feet without the puck tonight, which was great. I thought Bob was awesome away from it—getting over the top of people, and when guys are doing that stuff and you’re getting turnovers, that’s when the skill comes out.”

This wasn’t a line thriving on pure skill alone. It worked because they were willing to do the dirty work and stay with the game in order to create. Zegras, who's still learning the art of playing center (a position the Flyers hope he can play more as time goes on), looked comfortable in the middle—a promising development in his journey to becoming a forward with a more diversified skillset.

Whether it sticks long-term is a question for another article, but as a proof of concept, it was an interesting and promising development.

Travis Konecny’s stat line—a goal and an assist—was another chapter in what's becoming a very entertaining book to read. He extended his point streak to three games and now has 13 points (8G, 5A) in his last eight, but more than that, he remains the player most capable of keeping emotions and effort high throughout games.

When the Flyers needed pushback, he provided it. When they found themselves chasing the pace, he accelerated it. His impact wasn’t isolated to one line or one situation. Simply put, it was everywhere.

"He's trying to do the right things," Tocchet said of Konecny. "He's getting open, he's sprinting, he's getting those goals. That's what I'm trying to get these guys to understand—get to those areas quick. It might be sticks and bodies there, but you've gotta get inside. I call it a race to get inside. He's racing to get inside."

The Flyers are still figuring out exactly who and what works for them offensively, but Konecny’s role is clear. He is the stabilizer, the tone-setter, the forward who can tilt a shift without needing everything around him to be perfect. In a season marked by fluctuation, that reliability has become increasingly valuable.

Despite the improved cohesion later in the game, the Flyers didn’t start cleanly. There was hesitation early, and a sense that the group was thinking through decisions instead of playing through them. Tocchet framed it as nervousness more than effort.

“It’s not so much flat; there’s a lot of nervous guys,” he said. “Three weeks, four weeks ago, we’re two points, three points out of first or whatever… everyone’s gotta go through a tough schedule. Not much practice time, adversity hits. You just try to understand your team.”

This is the uncomfortable middle of a season for a young roster. Expectations rose quickly. Results dipped just as quickly. Now the Flyers are learning what it feels like to carry pressure without fully knowing how to manage it yet. That tension shows up in games like this one.

The difference against L.A. was that they didn’t unravel when things got tight. They stayed connected. They pushed back. They earned the extra point opportunity, even if they weren't able to capitalize on it.

Perhaps the most notable postgame takeaway wasn’t frustration, but a resounding confidence in their group that they can leave their struggles in the past and keep pushing forward. 

“I think we’re fine. We’re good,” Zegras said postgame. “It’s a long year. We’ve played really well at times and lost… we’re a very confident group, and we all love each other.”

Dan Vladar echoed the sentiment, saying, "Maybe you guys are doubting us, but we're not doubting ourselves."

Tocchet also expressed a levelheaded take on this stretch of games from the perspective of a man who's seen it all from every angle of the game.

“I've been in this league for 40 years. There’s highs and lows," he said. "You’re gonna get punched in the mouth, and you’ve just gotta keep believing in what you’re doing… We’re learning right now.”

The Flyers lost out on two points, but they gained more clarity about how they need to play, about which combinations can work, about where the line is between structure and individuality.

It's been progress over perfection this entire season, and this game is no different. They're still learning things the hard way, but one thing that's remained consistent is they know how good their group is and how deserving they are of the unwavering belief they've expressed in each other.