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The Philadelphia Flyers are heading south, and frankly, they might welcome the change of scenery.
A frustrating and disappointing homestand saw them manage just one win—an ugly shootout victory against this same Lightning team—and their offense has dried up at the worst possible time. They’ve had their chances, they’ve had their looks, but the finish just hasn’t been there.
Now, they get to kick off a five-game road trip. Normally, that might sound like a challenge, but for this group, it might be just what they need. They’ve played their best hockey away from home this season, leaning into their identity—simple, direct, high-effort, no-nonsense hockey. That’s the blueprint they need to follow in Tampa if they want to break out of this rut and get back on track.
1. Ivan Fedotov Gets the Start—Will He Get the Support?
With Sam Ersson getting the bulk of the starts this season, Fedotov has found himself mostly watching from the bench. But tonight, the Flyers are turning to the big Russian netminder, and he’ll need to be sharp against a Lightning team that, even in its down years, still knows how to score goals.
Fedotov’s numbers don’t exactly jump off the page right now, but to be fair, he hasn’t always had the best support in front of him. And that’s really the story here—can the Flyers give him enough goal support to make his life easier? It’s one thing to ask a goalie to keep a team in the game; it’s another to ask him to stand on his head night after night just to cover for an offense that can’t bury its chances.
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Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) on XIn 68 games last season, Flyers were allowing 27.8 shots per game. They've improved that number this season, allowing 26.9. Can't really say they've lost their identity this season. Only 7 teams have allowed fewer. All are in playoff spots: CAR, LAK, COL, NJD, VGK, FLA, VAN.That’s where the Flyers are right now. The effort is there. The shots are there. The quality chances are there. But the puck? It just won’t go in. There’s only so much a goalie can do when his team is only scoring one or two goals a night.
Fedotov will need to be solid, no question. But more importantly, his teammates need to finally put some pucks in the back of the net.
2. The Flyers Play Better on the Road—Time to Prove It Again
Noah Cates and Travis Konecny stated not too long ago that it’s no coincidence that the Flyers tend to look more comfortable on the road.
Cates admitted that they play more “simple” hockey, while Konecny acknowledged that there’s more pressure to perform when they’re in front of a home crowd.
On the road, they get a bit of a reprieve. They don’t get caught up trying to be too pretty, too creative, too fancy. Instead, they just go to work—hard forechecking, strong defensive structure, and quick transitions. It’s not always glamorous, but it works.
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Siobhan Nolan (@SGNolan) on X“We’re not going to out-skill teams. We have to out-compete them.” —Nick Seeler on the #LetsGoFlyers play against high-offense teams like the HurricanesAnd let’s be honest: playing in front of an increasingly impatient and restless home crowd hasn’t exactly been a morale booster. The fans in Philly are seemingly never satisfied with their team lately, so it’s understandable that the Wells Fargo Center has been a tough place to play when frustration is hanging over every shift.
That’s why this road trip might be exactly what the Flyers need. They can get back to what works. They can play with freedom, without the weight of the home crowd’s expectations bearing down on them. And if they can rediscover their identity—their real identity—then this game could be the start of something better.
3. Discipline Will Be Key
Even in a year where they aren’t the juggernaut they once were, the Lightning still have a power play that can turn a game on its head in an instant. Currently sitting sixth overall, Tampa’s man-advantage unit remains one of the most dangerous in the league.
The Flyers have actually been solid on the penalty kill this season, but why take the risk? The best way to handle Tampa’s power play is to not let them have one in the first place. That means staying disciplined. No lazy stick infractions. No frustration penalties. No unnecessary roughing calls that give the Lightning a free pass to set up their weapons.
The Flyers will have to play this one smart. Tampa thrives on teams that get too aggressive, that get caught out of position, that give them an extra step to exploit. This is a team that, even when struggling, can punish mistakes in the blink of an eye.
If the Flyers can stay out of the box and force the Lightning to generate all of their offense at even strength, they’ll have a much better shot at walking out of Amalie Arena with two points.
Final Thoughts
This game isn’t just about points—it’s about getting back to the identity that made the Flyers successful earlier in the season. It’s about shaking off the frustrations of the past few games and proving that they can still control their own destiny.
The formula is there: Fedotov needs to channel the abilities he’s shown he has, the offense needs to break through, and the team as a whole needs to lean into the straightforward, hard-nosed hockey that has worked for them all year. If they do that, they’ll give themselves a real chance to snap out of this funk and start turning things around.
Time to get back to business.
Projected Lines
Philadelphia Flyers
Forwards:
Tyson Foerster - Noah Cates - Travis Konecny
Owen Tippett - Sean Couturier - Matvei Michkov
Olle Lycksell - Ryan Poehling - Bobby Brink
Nicolas Deslauriers - Rodrigo Ābols - Jakob Pelletier
Defense:
Cam York - Travis Sanheim
Nick Seeler - Jamie Drysdale
Egor Zamula - Emil Andrae
Goalies:
Ivan Fedotov
Samuel Ersson
Tampa Bay Lightning
Forwards:
Jake Guentzel - Brayden Point - Yanni Gourde
Brandon Hagel - Anthony Cirelli - Nikita Kucherov
Oliver Bjorkstrand - Nick Paul - Gage Concalves
Zemgus Girgensons - Luke Glendening - Mitchell Chaffee
Defense:
Victor Hedman - J.J. Moser
Ryan McDonagh - Erik Cernak
Emil Lilleberg - Darren Raddysh
Goalies:
Jonas Johansson
Andrei Vasilevskiy
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