> At a Glance
> – Tampa Bay scores seven goals, the most the Flyers have allowed all season
> – Nikita Kucherov tallies four points (2 G, 2 A) in the first 6:05
> – Philadelphia’s three-game point streak ends
> – Why it matters: The depleted Flyers slide to 0-2-0 in the season series with the rematch looming Monday
The shorthanded Flyers never found an answer for a red-hot Lightning attack, surrendering a season-high seven goals in a one-sided 7-2 defeat Saturday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Game Story
Tampa Bay struck twice through Nikita Kucherov before the game was seven minutes old, staking the visitors to an early lead they would not relinquish. Philadelphia, missing Travis Konecny, Bobby Brink, Jamie Drysdale and Tyson Foerster, pulled within 2-1 on Garnet Hathaway’s redirection 4:15 into play, but that was as close as it would get.
- Nick Paul doubled the advantage in the second period, crashing unchecked for a rebound.
- The Lightning erupted for four third-period goals after the Flyers opened up chasing offense.
- Owen Tippett’s power-play marker briefly stemmed the tide, making it 3-2 before the final onslaught.
Goaltending & Special Teams
Samuel Ersson, starting for the first time in January, stopped 16 of 23 shots. He has now allowed four-plus goals in seven of 16 starts and carries a career-worst .868 save percentage.
| Metric | Flyers | Lightning |
|---|---|---|
| Power-play | 1-for-2 | – |
| Season PP% | 15% (2nd-worst) | – |
| Final shots | 20 | 23 |
Andrei Vasilevskiy, fresh off back-to-back shutouts versus Philadelphia, finished with 18 saves.
Key Takeaways
- Tampa Bay has now won nine straight, averaging five goals per game during the streak.
- Philadelphia’s three-game point run (2-0-1) is history, dropping the club to 22-13-8.
- The teams complete their regular-season set Monday at the same venue.
With injuries mounting and the trade deadline inching closer, the Flyers must regroup quickly before the Lightning come calling again.
