The Philadelphia Flyers played their final home game of Tuesday night’s 2024-2025 season, falling to the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-0.
The Blue Jackets are still fighting for the second wild card spot in the East, which gave Columbus extra motivation. Philadelphia has been playing better hockey under interim coach Brad Shaw, but it looked flat in Tuesday night’s contest. While Flyers fans debate time and time again about wanting the team to lose out so they get a better draft pick or to win out to keep the good vibes going, it’s looking like the team will be in the bottom six if they lose Thursday’s game against the Sabres who are currently in the bottom seven.
Flyers vs Blue Jackers recap
The Flyers continued to struggle on the power play, unable to convert any goals or real opportunities during the six minutes of a man advantage. Philadephia ranks 30th in the NHL with a 14.6% power play percentage. The Flyers also rank 30th for power-play goals, reaching 31 with one game remaining. However, the Flyers rank 20th in the NHL for their PK. The Flyers managed 29 shots on goal, all denied by Blue Jackets goalie Jet Greaves.
Tuesday night’s contest featured the third Columbus goal scored by Adam Fantilli. The 20-year-old was candid in the locker room last night about how monumental his 30th goal of the season was as he stated that he flew back home to Toronto for his grandfather’s funeral the day prior. He said his grandfather was a Flyers fan and felt it was meant to be.
In the Philadelphia locker room following the contest, goalie Sam Ersson said that he could have saved all (three) of the goals. He spoke about how this can be used as motivation for next season. It’s ideally not the outcome the Flyers wanted, but to get shut out on home ice during the final showing in South Philly isn’t the note the Flyers wanted to end their second-to-last game of the season on.
Fans in the Wells Fargo Center were quick to boo their team within the final minute of play as they were disappointed with the product on the ice. The Flyers last were in the playoffs during the 2019-2020 season, and now, with a fifth consecutive season with no playoff hockey and not much improvement with the product on the ice, the frustration was real inside the home arena.
The Flyers have their final game Thursday night in Buffalo. On Friday and Saturday, the team will have their locker room cleanout with players and coaches, which will be TBD for each day.
Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
