Flyers drop 2nd straight game to Hurricanes in 3-2 shootout loss

Jackie Spiegel, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Dec 14, 2025

Published in Hockey

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RALEIGH, N.C. — It’s a good thing hockey games are 60 minutes.

After a dreadful opening 19 minutes, the Philadelphia Flyers picked up the pace. Although they did not get the win, they did earn yet another point in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Andrei Svechnikov scored the winner in the shootout. The Flyers have lost after regulation in each of their three meetings with Carolina, including Saturday night, 4-3, in a shootout in Philly. There is one more meeting in Game 81.

The Flyers have lost three straight, but extended their point streak to four games.

Trevor Zegras tied the game with 1 minute, 52 seconds left in regulation.

Christian Dvorak split the defense and had a good chance stopped by Hurricanes goalie Brandon Bussi. But the Flyers maintained possession and, with a six-on-five, got to work by controlling the boards.

The puck ended up on Travis Sanheim’s stick, and he put a shot on goal at the boards near the left faceoff circle that was deflected in front by Dvorak. The puck popped out to Travis Konecny, who went cross-crease to the open Zegras for the easy goal.

It is Zegras’ 13th goal of the season, and he had an assist on the night too, for 32 points in 31 games.

Just over five minutes into the game, and on their eighth shot of the period — the Flyers had zero and didn’t get their first until 7:09 into the game — William Carrier gave the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead.

Carolina captain Jordan Staal won the faceoff back to former Flyers defenseman Sean Walker, who walked the line. His pass attempt from just inside the blue line went off Konecny, slowing the puck down. Dvorak, with his back turned, tried to knock it away, but Carrier was able to get the shot off quickly and past Dan Vladař.

Entering the night, Carolina ranked 29th on the man advantage (15.1%), and the Flyers’ penalty kill had fallen to 15th (81.5%). It did stop Carolina on the only pair of power plays on Saturday in Philly.

But on Sunday, Taylor Hall made it 2-0 on a power play, one of five in the first period between the two teams. In the bumper, Hall redirected an Alexander Nikishin point shot.

The Flyers struggled to find their legs early on and only mustered four shots in the opening frame, but one found the back of the net.

Skating six-on-five, Zegras and Jamie Drysdale passed it back and forth between the right flank and point before Zegras set up the blueliner for the quick one-timer. Drysdale’s third of the season, which came off the stick of Carrier, cut into the Carolina lead with 53 seconds left in the period.

And it seemed to spark the Flyers, who, while still getting outshot, had not just more chances, but more quality chances too.

They almost tied it with 42 seconds left in the first on a shot by Owen Tippett. But Carolina defenseman Jaccob Slavin, back in the lineup for the first time since Oct. 11 against the Flyers, stuck out his leg to steal a sure goal. Seconds later, Matvei Michkov tried to sneak the puck in at the right post but was blocked by Jalen Chatfield.

In the second period, Zegras made a play in the neutral zone that allowed Konecny to skate and put a quality shot on goal. Bussi stopped it and the rebound attempt by Dvorak as he crashed the net.

Drysdale had a good chance with just over nine minutes left in the middle period when he picked off a stretch pass and drove to the net. His shot just missed.

And the Flyers’ new power play units started to look better as the game wore on — and they got plenty of chances to build chemistry with four opportunities; although, one was cut short. Late in the second period, the unit of Drysdale, Zegras, Bobby Brink, Noah Cates and Tippett had several good looks with shots just missing. The Flyers missed the net on 13 chances.

But the man advantage in the third period had its best look. Zegras sent a one-timer from the right flank that Bussi stopped, but he couldn’t control it. Cates, atop the crease, was robbed by the Hurricanes’ goalie.

During all this, Vladař played the angles well and was stellar in goal. After allowing two goals on 14 shots in the first period, he stopped the next 16, including a breakaway chance by K’Andre Miller, in regulation.

In overtime, he stopped three shots, with two coming off the stick of Carolina’s Jackson Blake from 21 feet in. Sebastian Aho had the other shot on goal during a power play for Carolina.

Breakaways

Defensemen Ty Murchison and Egor Zamula, and forward Nic Deslauriers were healthy scratches. … Captain Sean Couturier skated in his 904th career game, surpassing Hall of Famer Bill Barber for third on the Flyers’ all-time games played list.

Up next

The Flyers head north to take on the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday.