PHILADELPHIA – The Flyers had just a 3.8% chance of making the playoffs after the Olympic break. They also had a 3.8% chance of advancing to the next round entering tonight.
Unfortunately, that luck ran out.
Jason Blake scored the winner 5:31 into overtime to send the Carolina Hurricanes to the Eastern Conference Finals. Eliminating the Flyers from the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Carolina became the first team in NHL history to win their first eight games of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Flyers did everything they needed to do to extend the series. They scored first. They answered quickly after Carolina took the lead. But, tonight, and this series, just wasn’t theirs.
Give Carolina credit. They are a Stanley Cup team for a reason, may even be the favorite. The Flyers announced every punch they threw at them.
However, the main reason why the Hurricanes are moving on is because they have been here before.
This was the Flyers first taste of playoff hockey and it showed. While they earned their first series win since 2020, that playoff experience to win the next round just wasn’t there.
But, don’t go too far to say they didn’t make Carolina earn it.
The Flyers were a tough opponent for the Hurricanes. Minus Game 1, it was a series of bounces that did not go the Flyers win.
Again, tonight, the first goal for Carolina was another bad bounce for the Flyers. The puck bounced in off Jamie Drysdale in-front.
Much will be said that it was an easy series as the main storyline is a 4-0 record. But, that is far from the truth.
This season had its ups and downs for the Flyers. It looked like it was going to be even more downs before their push for the playoffs.
But, as the lights go out on the 2025-26 season, it will be considered a big success for the Flyers and the next step in their rebuild.
On to next season!
