Flyers: Blue-collar, defense-first identity. When they’re dialed in, it’s structured 5-on-5, forecheck, and good goaltending. When they’re not… it’s odd-man rush city.
Lightning: Still dangerous as hell off the rush and on the power play. Even if they’re not in full “mini-dynasty” mode anymore, you cannot give these guys free looks.
Goaltending battle:
Flyers basically need their goalie to match or outplay Tampa’s starter to steal momentum on the road.
Path to a Flyers win:
Limit Lightning PP chances to 2 or fewer. Win the 5-on-5 battle by keeping chances against to the outside.
Get one ugly net-front goal and one rush or broken-play goal.
Philly just beat Toronto last night and turns right around for the back-to-back with Detroit. Tyrese dropped 31, Joel had 29 in limited minutes. Fatigue is a factor here.
Detroit rolls in hot, winners of five straight, and currently sitting atop the East behind Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren.
Who’s In/Out:
For tonight’s game, the 76ers will be without Joel Embiid, Paul George, Dominick Barlow, and Johni Broome. For the Pistons, Jaden Ivey, Tobias Harris, and Marcus Sasserare all out, Isaiah Stewart is doubtful, and Caris LeVert is probable.
Three keys for Tonight:
Maxey vs. Cunningham. With Embiid out, this will be a duel of the guards to watch.
Battle on the glass: Duran is a problem on the glass, and it’ll be up to the Sixers bigs to win the rebound battle without Embiid.
Back-to-back Energy: The 76ers will need extra minutes from some of the starters and also fresh energy and legs off the bench.
Overview:
The Pistons are the favorites tonight on paper, with it being the tail end of a back-to-back, and also with Embiid sitting this one out, but if Maxey continues to cook and the rest feed off of his energy, and the Sixers put together four complete and solid quarters, they have a shot of snagging this one.
Joel Embiid (left knee – injury management), Paul George (left knee – surgery recovery), Jared McCain (right thumb – surgery recovery), Dominick Barlow (right elbow laceration), Trendon Watford (left hamstring – injury management) per the NBA’s official injury report.
Magic OUT:
Moritz Wagner (left knee – injury recovery); Jamal Cain and Colin Castleton (not with team).
Philly is 2–0 to start the season behind Tyrese Maxey and promising rookie minutes from VJ Edgecombe, but they’ll be short-handed tonight.
Orlando is 1–2 and hitting the road for the first time, and the core runs through Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
🚨Who/When/Where: Flyers at Senators, 7:00 PM ET (Canadian Tire Centre). 📺: NBCSP. 📻: 97.5 FM The Fanatic
🚨Recent News: Flyers come in off a 5–2 win vs. the Kraken and a 3–1–0 homestand; Ottawa has started out at 2–4–1.
🚨 Projected Flyers lines: Konecny–Couturier–Tippett, Zegras–Dvorak–Michkov, Foerster–Cates–Brink, Grebenkin–Abols–Hathaway. Cam York–Sanheim heading up the D lines. Dan Vladar is getting the nod in net.
🚨 Senators injuries: Brady Tkachuk (thumb)
🚨 Flyers injuries: Rasmus Ristolainen (triceps) and Oliver Bonk (upper body)
🚨 Players to watch: Owen Tippett and Cam York hopefully carrying the momentum.
Matchup/Venue: 76ers at Celtics, TD Garden at 7:30 pm ET. 📺: NBC Sports Philadelphia 📻: 97.5 FM The Fanatic
🏀 Who’s In / Out:
Sixers: Joel Embiid: IN, Paul George: OUT (knee surgery recovery), Trendon Watford (hamstring) OUT, Jared McCain (thumb) OUT.
Celtics: Jaylen Brown questionable (hamstring). Jayson Tatum is out long-term (ACL)
🏀 What to watch:
-Embiid’s usage & rhythm First real minutes that matter since surgery.
-Maxey’s tempo vs. Boston’s guards, Maxey’s pace and touches in the paint.
-Wing scoring without PG
With Paul George out, shot creation on the wings, (Oubre, etc.) become the swing factor. If secondary scorers hit open treys, it eases the load on both Embiid and Maxey.
-Impact of VJ Edgecombe. Showed a lot of confidence in the preseason, hopefully that carries into the regular season as well.
🏀 Summary: I think with Tatum out long term, and Brown banged up, and with Boston not having much depth, the Sixers need to and should capitalize tonight and seal the deal for the W. So, clap your hands, and stomp your feet for your 10, 9, 8, 76ers!
It’s been a while since watching the Flyers felt fun from start to finish — but last night’s 5–2 win over the Seattle Kraken delivered exactly that. From a multi-goal night to crisp passing and a goalie who actually looked calm under pressure, this was one of those games that makes you remember why you put up with all the heartbreak in the first place.
🟠 Offensive Firepower Returns
The boys came out buzzing. Tyson Foerster and Owen Tippett each lit the lamp twice — Foerster on the power play, Tippett at even strength — giving the Flyers’ offense some real bite. Cam York quietly had a career-high three assists, and suddenly that top-six forward group looked like they could roll with anyone.
For once, the power play actually looked dangerous. Pucks were moving quickly, shots were finding lanes, and players were crashing the net instead of doing laps around the blue line. When the Flyers play with that kind of tempo, they’re tough to stop.
🧤 Vladar Steady in Net
Dan Vladar might not have faced a crazy workload, but he made 21 saves and looked sharp doing it. The defense in front of him was solid too — tighter gaps, better backchecking, and fewer of those “what were they thinking?” giveaways that have haunted recent games.
It wasn’t perfect, but it was a step in the right direction. You could actually feel a sense of structure out there, and for Flyers fans, that’s something to celebrate.
⚠️ Still Some Work to Do
Now, before we start engraving the Cup, let’s keep it real. The Flyers were streaky at times — dominant stretches followed by little lulls where the energy dipped. That’s been a recurring theme, and consistency is the next big hurdle.
The bottom six didn’t generate much offense either. It’s great when the top guys are hot, but playoff teams get goals from everywhere. And while the power play finally cashed in, the penalty kill still has its “close your eyes and pray” moments.
💬 The Fan Perspective
From a fan’s point of view, this was just one of those feel-good games. The kind where you don’t clench your jaw every time the puck crosses your own blue line. The Xfinity Mobile Arena seemed loud, the team looked confident, and the young core — Tippett, Foerster, York — all delivered.
It’s not just about the win, but it’s about how they won. Fast, aggressive, and smart — three words that haven’t always described this team.
🔮 Looking Ahead
The Flyers have shown flashes like this before, so the real question is whether they can sustain it. Beating Seattle is nice, but let’s see how they handle tougher opponents on the road. If they can bottle that same energy and discipline, things could start to get interesting.
For now, though, enjoy it. Nights like this remind you why we keep watching, because every so often, the orange and black show us what they’re capable of.
Final Score: Flyers 5, Kraken 2 Standouts: Tyson Foerster (2 G), Owen Tippett (2 G), Cam York (3 A), Dan Vladar (21 Saves) Next Up: Keep that momentum rolling and prove this wasn’t just a one-night thing.
The Side Jawn 