Phillies make most of a suddenly free night and take in Flyers’ Game 6 win: ‘It was super fun’ even with boos
Once their game was rained out, Kyle Schwarber said they decided to head over to the playoff game. He lucked into a good time to see his first live Flyers game.
After their game was postponed due to rain less than an hour before first pitch, the Phillies suddenly had a free Wednesday evening.
Luckily, there was something to do just down the street. Because that night, the Flyers were hosting the Penguins in Game 6 of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena, with a chance to advance.
Kyle Schwarber said the Phillies came up with the idea as a group to head over and catch the Flyers game. They made some calls and were able to arrange a box in the stadium and a bus to take them across the complex in the rain.
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They weren’t the only ones to make the trip. Some fans popped over too, still in their Phillies gear to see the Flyers’ 1-0 win in overtime.
“We were talking about it about it, where some people were just bouncing from straight over here to right over there, because you saw people in Phillies stuff,” Schwarber said. “It was funny. Nice to see them pull for them, just to go out there and get it done. At home, too.”
In all, Schwarber estimated the Phillies probably had 30 people in attendance at the game, including players, coaches, and staff.
When the Phillies’ box was showed on the Jumbotron at the game, they were met with boos from the audience, but they all still appreciated the environment of playoff hockey.
“Philly fans across the board, they just kind of bring the heat,” Tanner Banks said.
Schwarber said he has always enjoyed watching hockey in person over TV, but Thursday was the first time he’s been able to make it to a live Flyers game.
“Just understanding how fast they’re going, being able to watch that and see how athletic that is,” Schwarber said. “Just in general, to see them flip around, skate backwards, and stop on a dime, put it in gear, and go. You’re like, ‘Wow.’ ... It gives you a really good level of respect for what they do.”
The hockey knowledge among the Phillies varies. Jesús Luzardo grew up not far from the Panthers’ home arena in Florida and has been a longtime fan. On the other hand, Banks has been to a few games here and there, but he said he learned just recently from Tim Mayza that there are no shootouts in the playoffs. But there was something for everyone to enjoy.
Because Schwarber and his wife had their young kids with them at the game, they had to leave at the end of regulation. But he made it home in time to catch Cam York’s overtime goal on television.
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Orion Kerkering was among those who were able to stay the entire time. He had last been to a Flyers game in January 2025, when he was in town during the offseason for the Phillies Winter Caravan. The Flyers finished that season in eighth place in their division.
Thursday’s game was a completely different environment.
“It was super fun,” Kerkering said. “I was not panicking, but I was like, why are we flicking the puck across the [ice] when on offense? ... Then I was like, ‘OK, they’re just saving the energy there.’ Then it was like, all right, let’s do this. Full attack. And it worked out.”
Extra bases
Nolan Hoffman was recalled as the Phillies’ 27th man for Thursday’s doubleheader. ... Jhoan Duran (oblique strain) threw his first bullpen session Thursday since landing on the injured list. J.T. Realmuto (back spasms) did catching drills pregame. ... (Zack Wheeler (0-0, 3.60 ERA) is scheduled to start the Phillies’ series opener in Miami on Friday against Marlins righty Eury Perez (2-2, 4.60).
Hunter Pence's 368-day stint with the Phillies was a study in extremes. Acquired at the trade deadline in 2011 as the missing right-handed bat for a World Series contender, he got dealt a year later by an underachieving team. And with the Phillies in full-on crisis mode this week, Pence sits down with "Phillies Extra," the Inquirer's baseball podcast, to discuss how quickly a team's fortunes can change. Watch here.
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