Flyers Late-Push Not Enough, Lose Critical Game vs. Blue Jackets

March 25, 2026 · Yahoo Sports

PHILADELPHIA – After a strong first period, the Philadelphia Flyers (34-24-12) were a completely different team vs. the Columbus Blue Jackets (38-22-11) on Tuesday, losing a must-win game 3-2 at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

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Sean Couturier and Jamie Drysdale scored for the Flyers. Mathieu Olivier, Zach Werenski, and Mason Marchment scored for the Blue Jackets.

The Flyers got out to a dominant start, shooting pucks at will, skating strongly, and just outmatching the Blue Jackets. Columbus then came out of the gate in the second period with that same energy, and led a five-minute charge that the Flyers could not match. An early third-period goal for the Blue Jackets put the Flyers’ backs against the wall, and they could not overcome the deficit.

Here is how we got to the final score.

Flyers take late lead into first intermission

The Flyers had their legs early on Tuesday night in a must-win game. After a scare on the first shift of the game, Philly was skating strongly and keeping the play out of their defensive zone.

Still, neither team had a really high danger chance until Owen Tippett had a breakaway just about five minutes into the game, but he could not finish the chance. Matvei Michkov had a good look at Jet Greaves from the left side a few moments later, but Greaves had too much time.

Play went on, and the Blue Jackets got the first power play of the game after Trevor Zegras was called for a high stick. After just over a minute, the Flyers had the best chance during the Columbus power play.

Noah Cates forced a short-handed breakaway and was caught with a hook from Kirill Marchenko. Instead of a power play, the Flyers were awarded a penalty shot, which was saved by Greaves. The game remained scoreless after the Flyers finished the kill. Philly struck first about three minutes later.

The 4th line and top defensive pair were on the ice. After a battle along the halfwall, the puck got loose. Rasmus Ristolainen (8) fired a shot, which bounced off Greaves right to Luke Glendening (6), whose shot went behind the Blue Jacket’s netminder, right to Sean Couturier (8) for the easy tap-in.

The Flyers took the 1-0 lead into the first intermission.

Blue Jackets’ fast start gives them the lead

The Blue Jackets came out of the locker room after the first intermission looking like a team on a mission. Philly couldn’t match the Blue Jackets’ speed and intensity early in the second period.

It did not take long for Columbus to even it up.

Just 44 seconds into the second period, Damon Severson (23) sprung Zach Werenski (56) on a rush. Jamie Drysdale had Weresnki covered, Rasmus Ristolainen drifted toward the puck, freeing Mathieu Olivier (15) enough to get the shot past Dan Vladar.

Not even two minutes later, Severson (24) found Werenski (21) in the slot for the easy score. Trevor Zegras turned the puck over trying to clear the puck, and could not get back to the middle in time to get in Werenski’s way. Just like that, Columbus went up 2-1 in a matter of minutes in the second period.

The Flyers settled things down a bit, but the Blue Jackets were still all over them. Philly’s best chances came after Mathieu Olivier got called for interference after crushing Noah Juulsen into Dan Vladar, and gave the Flyers their first power-play chance of the game.

Noah Cates had the best two looks of the chance. His first was the most open look, but it was tied up by Ivan Provorov. Later, Cates was fed the puck down low, made a nifty move, had Greaves beat, but could not finish the play.

Columbus got a big kill, but the Flyers started to turn the tide late in the second.

No more goals were scored in the second, taking the 2-1 Blue Jackets lead into the second intermission. However, there were some fireworks.

Dante Fabbro got a two-minute minor for a cross-check on Matvei Michkov, who got two minutes for embellishment. Christian Dvorak then jumped in and fought Fabbro. Each player got five minutes for fighting.

Christian Dvorak drops em with Dante Fabbro 🥊

Seemingly stepped up for Michkov pic.twitter.com/PUxgWyI3WE
— Will James (@wmjsports) March 25, 2026

Blue Jackets Score the dagger early, Flyers can’t overcome

The Flyers won the opening draw in the second period and started to apply pressure, like the Blue Jackets did to start the second. Early on, Rasmus Ristolainen sent a puck to the right side of the goal with Tippett right there. Tippett went short side and was stopped by Greaves again.

Columbus took matters into their own hands and grabbed control of the game with just over 15 minutes to go in the third. Marson Marchement (17) fired a shot from low in the left-side dot, putting it past the glove side of Vladar. I don’t know if he ever even saw it. That gave the Blue Jackets the 3-1 lead.

A two-goal deficit was still manageable, but the Flyers seemingly went quiet. After a dominating first period, that same team never really stepped back on the ice.

Owen Tippett was called for a high stick with 6:58 to play in the game. Two minutes on the penalty kill without their best short-handed scorer was detrimental to their comeback chances. They got the kill, but time was ticking away. Philly had less than five minutes to find two goals to tie the game before regulation ended.

The Flyers pulled Vladar to empty the net with three minutes to play.

Jamie Drysdale (8) ripped one from just above the right-side dot, assisted by Trevor Zegras (34) and Christian Dvorak (28). The Flyers had late life.

Unfortunately for the Flyers, one was all they would get. Philadelphia fell 3-2 to vs. the Blue Jackets in a must-win game.

What’s next

The Flyers stay home for the showdown with Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Puck drop is at 7:00 p.m. EST.

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