Flyers’ playoff hopes take a hit with ugly 6-3 loss to the Red Wings

DETROIT ― The curse of the four-game winning streak, unfortunately, remains intact.

Entering Thursday, the Flyers had won three straight games for the sixth time this season, and the fourth time since the break. Handed a 6-3 loss by the Detroit Red Wings, it is now the sixth time they have not extended a winning streak to four games.

Philly has not won four straight since early February 2024.

With the loss, the Flyers remain at 92 points and only hold a one-point lead over the New York Islanders and a two-point edge over the Columbus Blue Jackets for the third seed in the Metropolitan Division. The Islanders beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3, and the Blue Jackets lost 5-0 to the Buffalo Sabres. Each team has three games remaining.

» READ MORE: Young Flyers Denver Barkey and Alex Bump feel the heat of big games, but they’ve been in them before

One positive is that Porter Martone, 19, continues to fit in seamlessly. The rookie had a goal and an assist to up his total to two goals —both on the power play — and six points in six NHL games.

Martone’s assist tied the game 1-1 when he came off the bench for Owen Tippett and appeared to look back as he hopped over the boards. Coach Rick Tocchet confirmed after the game that the staff was reminding him to stay high because defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen was deep in the offensive zone.

It was a smart call because the puck made its way around to the winger right in the middle of the ice. He caught it, turned, and put a low slapshot on goal with Christian Dvorak, who had gone to the net and was released by his Red Wings counterpart, Marco Kasper, standing there all alone.

Dvorak tipped the puck in through the wickets of John Gibson for his 18th of the year, tying his career high set in 2019-20 when he was a member of the Arizona Coyotes. Rick Tocchet was also his head coach at that time.

In the second period, with the Flyers trailing by three, Martone scored on the man advantage. Up to that point, they were 0-for-4 with four shots on goal in a penalty-filled game that saw the Flyers finish 1-for-6 and the Red Wings go 3-for-4.

The Flyers worked the puck around the perimeter before Trevor Zegras got it at the goal line. He walked it up a few steps before sending it on net with Noah Cates there and Martone sitting at the back door. The puck was stopped by the pad of Gibson and sat in the crease before Martone tapped it home as his former Michigan State teammates watched from the stands, and Spartans coach Adam Nightingale looked on from the press box.

» READ MORE: Porter Martone’s fast start with the Flyers was forged in Michigan State’s gym: ‘The best decision I ever made’

Martone’s points came after Alex DeBrincat gave the Red Wings a 1-0 lead two minutes, 28 seconds into the game with a power-play goal. Matvei Michkov was in the box for roughing after rabbit punching David Perron in retaliation for the veteran, who sold the call, sticking his arm and elbow up near the Russian’s face.

DeBrincat, who had the only other shot attempt by the Red Wings on the man advantage after walking out of the corner, got the puck atop the crease again. This time, he had his back turned to goalie Dan Vladař and, instead of turning and trying to score on his forehand — which is probably what everyone expected — he flicked the puck over the Flyers’ goalie on his backhand for his 40th of the season.

The Flyers had a power play begin with one minute, 34 seconds left in the opening frame, but after a scrum at the buzzer, the second period started with Ristolainen, Martone, and the Red Wings’ Lucas Raymond all in the box. Skating four-on-four, Owen Tippett got in the offensive zone and went to the net, but was skating backward and ran into Gibson.

So Detroit ended up with a four-on-three and then a five-on-three. Moritz Seider scored first with a blast from the point six seconds after Ben Chiarot came out of the box.

Seventy-eight seconds later, Dylan Larkin made it 3-1 Detroit on a five-on-four power play. Future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane had the puck on the right flank, and Larkin, the Detroit captain, who was by the right post, tapped his stick, calling for the puck. Kane fed him, and Larkin turned and scored.

Entering the game, the Flyers’ penalty kill was at 78.2% for the season, but, in the previous five games, it was just 66.7% (8-for-12).

Larkin made it 4-1 with a short-handed goal. Seconds after a penalty to Seider ended, making it a five-on-four power play for the Flyers, Tyson Foerster got the puck at the point. He skated in and, instead of shooting, opted to pass to Travis Konecny waiting at the bottom of the left circle.

» READ MORE: Porter Martone’s fast start with the Flyers was forged in Michigan State’s gym: ‘The best decision I ever made’

Red Wings defenseman Albert Johansson blocked the pass, and Larkin broke out all alone. Foerster tried to check him, but Larkin buried the breakaway past Vladař, chasing the netminder after he allowed four goals on eight shots.

Sam Ersson allowed two goals on seven shots in relief, with Kane finding the net easily as he was left alone on the weak side, and Larkin capping the hat trick with a snap shot over Ersson’s glove on a two-on-one during four-on-four action. The Flyers grabbed a consolation goal through former Red Wing Luke Glendening, but it was too little, too late on a disappointing night for the Orange and Black.

Gibson left the game in the second period with an injury. ... Zegras tried “The Michigan” in the first period. ... Forwards Garnet Hathaway, Garrett Wilson, and Carl Grundström, and defenseman Noah Juulsen were healthy scratches.

The Flyers practice on Friday in Detroit before heading to Winnipeg, Manitoba, for the final road game of the regular season against the Jets, who are fighting for a playoff spot in the West (7 p.m., NBCSP). They close out the season with a back-to-back beginning on Monday at Xfinity Mobile Arena against the Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m., NBCSP), followed by a visit from the Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m., NBCSP).