The Flyers’ abysmal power play cost them dearly in these playoffs. It has to improve next season.
There’s no getting around the reality that if the Flyers had anything approximating an average power play, they might be down just a game in this series or, perish the thought, leading it.
The Flyers were 0-for-5 on the power play in Game 3. They are 1-for-16 in the series.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
They have been the 10 worst words in Philadelphia hockey for five years now. It’s not Lou Nolan’s fault, of course, that they are the 10 worst words in Philadelphia hockey. He is merely the venerable public-address announcer of what is now called Xfinity Mobile Arena, and he is contractually obligated to utter the 10 terrible words and alert everyone inside the building to what they portend. He is a messenger of bad tidings, a Paul Revere warning not of the threat of war but of unchanging incompetence. He says the 10 words, and everyone is immediately alerted to the awfulness ahead.
And the Flyers are going on the PECOOOOO power play!
After their 4-1 loss Thursday night, the Flyers are now down three games-to-none to the Carolina Hurricanes in this second-round series. And yes, Carolina is the better team. And yes, the Flyers have already exceeded any reasonable expectations anyone had for them this season. But there’s also no getting around the reality that if the Flyers had anything approximating an average power play, instead of a galactically horrible one, they might be down just a game in this series or, perish the thought, leading it.
“You can win games with the power play, and you can lose them,” Sean Couturier said, “and tonight, that’s what happened.”
Hang on, Coots. Carolina’s Sean Walker just interfered with Travis Konecny. Here’s the Flyers’ power play:
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Nothing. Just like always.
OK, back to the column.
Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar leaves the ice after losing to the Hurricanes 4-1 in Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim late during the third period as they fall behind in Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen and Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere rough each other up late during the third period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Flyers center Christian Dvorak watches as Hurricanes center Seth Jarvis knocks down the puck with his glove during the third period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Flyers bench reacts after Hurricanes score their fourth goal during the third period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
A Flyers fan reacts after watching Hurricanes score a fourth goal during the third period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Hurricanes right wing Andrei Svechnikov scores a power play goal during the third period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen makes a save during the third period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen stops the puck against Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale during the third period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Flyers center Christian Dvorak is called for a roughing penalty on Hurricanes left wing Taylor Hall during the second period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Flyers defenseman David Jiricek scores a short-handed goal past Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar and Trevor Zegras during the second period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Flyers defenseman David Jiricek scores a short-handed goal during the second period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Flyers center Trevor Zegras (right) is held back after Hurricanes left wing Taylor Hall (left) hit Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim during the second period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar makes a save during the second period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Flyers defenseman Nick Seeler knocks the puck away from Hurricanes left wing Eric Robinson during the second period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Flyers center Christian Dvorak and Flyers left wing Noah Cates fight for control of the puck during the second period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Flyers center Luke Glendening goes after the puck against Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho during the second period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar save during the second period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Flyers center Trevor Zegras celebrates his second period goal with Flyers defenseman Nick Seeler to tie the score 1-1 during Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar stops the puck during the second period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin saves the puck as goaltender Frederik Andersen watches during the first period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Hurricanes center Jordan Staal celebrates a power play goal during the first period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen skates with the puck past Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho and left wing William Carrier of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet during the first period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Hurricanes center Jordan Staal gets knocked over by Flyers center Sean Couturier during the first period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Flyers right wing Tyson Foerster goes up against Hurricanes left wing Taylor Hall during the first period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen stops the puck during the first period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Flyers left wing Alex Bump skates after the puck against Hurricanes right wing Jackson Blake during the first period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia.
Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
The Flyers were 0-for-4 on the power play in Game 1. They were 1-for-7 in Game 2. They were 0-for-5 in Game 3. This, after entering Thursday having scored on 10.7% of their man-advantage situations in this postseason, which ranked them eighth among the eight teams still playing. This, after finishing last in the NHL in power-play success rate (15.7%) during the regular season. This, after finishing with the third-worst power play in the league last season (15%). This, after finishing last in the league during the 2023-24 season (12.2%). This, after finishing last in the league during the 2022-23 season (15.6%). This, after finishing last in the league during the 2021-22 season (12.6%).
It’s not just that the Flyers don’t score on the power play. It’s that they struggle to set themselves up in a basic alignment in the offensive zone. They are tentative. “We’ve got to come in with more speed,” defenseman Jamie Drysdale said. Their shots from the point often don’t reach the net; they’re wide, or blocked, or deflected.
A power play is supposed to be a momentum-shifter, and it is exactly that for the Flyers … in the wrong way. A power play sucks the energy and life out of them. It transforms them from frisky pups to droopy dogs. In the first round, they beat the Penguins in six games by controlling play at even strength, but even in that series, with just a referee’s raised arm and a penalty call on Pittsburgh, the Flyers invariably went from a sports car to a jalopy.
“It’s just execution at the end of the day and trusting the game plan,” Drysdale said, “not switching up, not going off the page, not going off script. It’s definitely tough when you feel like it’s not working.”
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Game 3 was more of the sad same ol’, same ol’. Trevor Zegras tied the game early in the second period during a delayed penalty call — technically not a power-play goal. Perhaps Zegras wanted to avoid the ugliness altogether. The Hurricanes not only scored two power-play goals themselves, but defenseman Jalen Chatfield also ripped a one-timer over Dan Vladař’s right shoulder for a short-handed goal to break that 1-1 tie. So in the most important game of the Flyers’ season, it didn’t go far enough to say their power play didn’t help them. It was actually a net negative.
Hang on. There are 4 minutes and 12 seconds left in the second, and Carolina’s Taylor Hall just delivered a nasty hit to Travis Sanheim close to the boards. Dangerous. Could be a five-minute major penalty. The officials are reviewing it.
No, just a minor. That hit looked bad. The only logical conclusion to draw is that the officials gave Hall two minutes because no one wants to watch the Flyers’ power play for five minutes. But after another scrum and a bench minor to Rod Brind’Amour the Flyers are getting a two-man advantage, a 5-on-3. Let’s watch.
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Nothing. And nothing different.
“We’re trying,” coach Rick Tocchet said. “There are reasoned plays you have to make to be on the power play, and in all fairness, we’ve got some guys playing the power play who probably wouldn’t play a lot of minutes on the power play [on another team], and we’re trying to get these guys to understand certain things. But that’s on us. It’s on me to try to figure it out. It really is.”
No one would deny that the Flyers took a step forward this season, that they seem a team on the rise. But this season of promise and surprising achievement is approaching its end, and during the offseason, they had better figure out how to get this situation improved. They’re only holding themselves back by being this bad in such an important facet of the sport.
Oops. Sebastian Aho just high-sticked Alex Bump. One last power play for the Flyers. Let ‘em have it, Lou.
