Flyers lose 5-2 in Vegas, haven’t won two straight in nearly a month

The Flyers’ West Coast road trip hit a speed bump Thursday night as they fell 5-2 to the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena. Costly turnovers and untimely goals allowed proved too much to overcome against one of the NHL’s top teams.

The Good: Tyson Foerster and Travis Konecny Shine

Tyson Foerster wasted no time getting the Flyers on the board, scoring just 21 seconds into the game on a clean finish from the slot.

Can't ask for a hotter start. 🔥

Let's keep it going as we start the second period!

📺: @NBCSPhilly+
📻: @933WMMR #PHIvsVGK | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/Ud2LiKj6ux

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) January 3, 2025

Foerster, along with linemates Noah Cates and Bobby Brink, continues to be one of the Flyers’ most consistent offensive forces. The trio has combined for 22 points over the last eight games, with Cates looking like his stellar 2022-23 self.

Travis Konecny chipped in a power-play goal in the third period, but by that point, the Flyers were chasing the game after Vegas built a 4-1 lead.

TK's got us right back in it. 💪#PHIvsVGK | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/qWXmUNhzDg

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) January 3, 2025

The Bad: Defensive Struggles Doom Flyers

The Flyers’ defense had a rough night. Egor Zamula, Jamie Drysdale, and Rasmus Ristolainen combined for a minus-6 rating and contributed just one shot on goal. Sloppy turnovers, including a miscue from Owen Tippett that led to Mark Stone’s tying goal, set the tone for a challenging night in their own zone.

Goaltender Aleksei Kolosov had another tough outing, stopping 22 of 26 shots. The rookie faced a barrage of high-danger chances, including a backbreaking goal late in the second period when Pavel Dorofeyev capitalized just five seconds after a lost faceoff.

Over his last three starts, Kolosov has allowed 15 goals on 72 shots, though he’s been thrown into the fire against top-tier competition like the Kings and Golden Knights.

Flyers Road Woes Continue

The Flyers haven’t won consecutive games since mid-December, and their inability to build momentum showed again in Vegas. After a dominant 4-0 win over the Sharks earlier in the week, the Flyers struggled to sustain that level of play against a superior opponent.

Vegas Dominates at Home

The Golden Knights showed why they boast the NHL’s best home record (16-4-0), outscoring opponents 77-49 on home ice. Ilya Samsonov, who has historically dominated the Flyers, turned aside 23 of 25 shots to improve to 13-2-0 against Philadelphia in his career.

Up Next for the Flyers:

Philadelphia wraps up its five-game road trip Sunday in Toronto against the Maple Leafs. With a 17-18-4 record, they’ll look to head home on a positive note. If nothing else, Foerster, Cates, and Brink are giving fans something to cheer about, even on nights when the rest of the team falters.

The Flyers visit Toronto on Sunday (7 p.m. ET, NBCSP) in the final game of their road trip. With the Maple Leafs battling for playoff positioning, the Flyers will need to tighten up defensively and bring a complete effort if they want to avoid heading home with another loss.

Join The Chase

Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images