The Flyers get another crack at a first win tonight, and the assignment is a stiff one: the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes are in town for a Metropolitan Division matchup at 7:00 p.m. ET at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Both teams arrive with the same record, 0-1-1, and both are still hunting that first victory of the 2026-27 season.
Philadelphia’s opening week has already swung from disaster to something more manageable. The Flyers were buried in a franchise-record 7-0 home loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday, with Dan Vladar giving up all seven goals on 38 shots.
Less than 24 hours later, they were at least more competitive in a 3-2 overtime loss at New Jersey. Joseph Woll made 41 saves in that game, while Rasmus Ristolainen and Travis Sanheim supplied the offense.
Sanheim finished with a goal and an assist.
Afterward, head coach Rick Tocchet said the Flyers were still “out of sync” with the puck and planned practice adjustments.
Carolina has had its own rough start despite coming in as the league’s champs. The Hurricanes opened with a 1-0 overtime loss to Florida, a game decided on a goal with 4.3 seconds left, then followed with a 5-2 home loss to Washington on Friday.
In that one, they were described as “outplayed and outmatched.” Sebastian Aho and Logan Stankoven scored for Carolina, while Brandon Bussi allowed five goals on 27 shots.
Coach Rod Brind’Amour and several players, including Jordan Staal and Stankoven, said the team needs better effort and intensity, pointing to the pressure that comes with being the defending champion. Pyotr Kochetkov is expected to start in goal after Bussi’s back-to-back starts. Jordan Martinook is also set to play his 800th NHL game.
There’s plenty of recent history between these teams, too. Last season, Carolina swept Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference semifinals by a 13-5 margin and won three of the four regular-season meetings. Every one of those four games went beyond regulation.
The standings are tight this early, with both clubs tied for sixth in the Metro at one point apiece. Philadelphia also has a scheduling edge tonight, with Carolina on the second night of a back-to-back. That gives the Flyers home ice and a chance to build off the better showing they put together Thursday while trying to avoid an 0-3-1 start.
On the injury front, Carolina has Seth Jarvis practicing in a non-contact jersey after shoulder surgery. Flyers injury notes in some previews listed Nikita Grebenkin as out with an undisclosed injury and Denver Barkey as out with a lower-body injury.
The betting market has leaned toward Carolina, with the Hurricanes generally sitting around -128 to -134 on the moneyline and the total hovering near 5.5 to 6.0.
In Other News...
Flyers' Winless Start Just Got More Concerning After Overtime Loss
The Flyers early-season frustration deepened in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Hurricanes, a result that left them still searching for their first win after three straight defeats. Philadelphia got goals from Owen Tippett and Matvei Michkov and had enough push to at least extend the night, but Carolina had the last word in a game that kept the Flyers from building any momentum.
There was more concern beyond the standings, too, with Rasmus Ristolainen a possible injury question after taking a shot to his left hand and briefly returning before being sent for reevaluation Sunday. Goaltender Joseph Woll stopped 37 shots, which gave Philadelphia a chance to hang around, but the Flyers will now have to sort through both the record and the roster as the schedule keeps moving. [Read more 🡒]
Gostisbehere Broke Flyers Hearts Again In A Game Carolina Nearly Lost
Shayne Gostisbehere has a way of making life difficult for the Flyers, and he did it again in a game Carolina nearly let slip away. His overtime winner delivered the Hurricanes a win in Philadelphia and marked the third time he has beaten the Flyers in overtime, a familiar ending for a player whose name still carries extra weight in this matchup.
For the Flyers, the night added another layer to an early-season offensive struggle, with chances hard to come by and the margin for error shrinking as the game wore on. The bigger concern may have come on the back end, where Rasmus Ristolainen exited after blocking a late second-period shot and never returned, leaving Philadelphia to absorb another tough result while Joseph Wolls 37 saves helped Carolina escape with its third win of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Have Another Early Problem Fans Really Didn't Need
The Flyers trip through the young season already has a familiar feel to it, and not in a good way. They fell 3-2 to the Hurricanes in overtime after spotting Carolina a goal in the first 10 seconds, then spent the rest of the night trying to claw back into a game that never quite settled into their favor.
There was more bad news beyond the final score, too, as Rasmus Ristolainen left with a right hand injury, leaving Philadelphia to wonder about its defensive depth heading into the next game. Add in a power play that still has not found the net this season, and the Flyers are suddenly dealing with more than just one frustrating loss. [Read more 🡒]