Flyers’ Self-Inflicted Wounds Hand the Avalanche a 3-2 Win
Dec 7, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Martin Necas (88) crashes into Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson (33) during the second period at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
The Flyers walked into a measuring stick game today, ready to prove that they are prepared to be taken seriously. The Colorado Avalanche showed up as the league’s top team, loaded, rolling, and sitting on 46 points before Christmas. Conversely, the Flyers came in as winners of six of their last eight, with a chip on their shoulder to prove they are for real, while the Avalanche wanted to show why all the other teams in the NHL are looking up at them.
The game started well for the Flyers. Sean Couturier, skating in his 900th NHL game, put them ahead early when he got a piece of Noah Juulsen’s point shot. But Colorado never panics, Brent Burns answered midway through the first with a clean wrist shot that beat Samuel Ersson. Brock Nelson added a power-play goal with under a minute left in the period after a messy net-front scramble. The comeback kids were once again trailing, but coming back against the Avalanche this season is a tall task.
Valeri Nichushkin widened the gap early in the second on a 2-on-1, going blocker side on Ersson, which appears to be a recurring theme with Ersson this season. Travis Konecny punched back four minutes later from inside, giving the Flyers life again, but in the third period, every time it felt like the Flyers were getting closer, but just never could punch one by Mackenzie Blackwood. Trevor Zegras drew a penalty shot, and this season, that has been about as automatic as it gets, and he inexplicably missed. The Flyers owned the momentum all period, but the tying goal just didn’t materialize, handing the Avalanche a 3-2 win.
The biggest swing moments in the game were key execution miscues by the Flyers. Errand passes, and critical turnovers hurt them today. Colorado is a team with extreme polish and handled the small moments with much sharper execution. The Flyers didn’t execute when it mattered, and against a team like the Avalanche, that’s often the difference between a comeback win and a close loss. Ersson played well today, but the third goal was one that he stopped last year. There was a solid regression in his play this year, and it appears to be more often than not on the blocker side.
Another thing we saw today was how Colorado’s stars make the most of their touches. Nathan MacKinnon only had an assist, yet every time he carried the puck through center, the Flyers were almost playing back, and without their normal aggressiveness. His play today took the Flyers out of their element just enough for Colorado’s depth guys to find space. That’s how Nelson got his power play chance. That’s how Nichushkin ended up with time to shoot and pick his shot. After the game, Rick Tocchet said it felt like the players were giving too much respect to the Avalanche players and rushing passes.
The Flyers generated chances but needed a bit more execution. On the Zegras penalty shot, he had Blackwood moving; he just didn’t finish the play and instead settled for a weak shot into his pads. Not what we’ve seen all season in his overtime heroics. On two extended third-period cycles, the Flyers worked the puck into the slot and didn’t turn it into quality shots on net, and fairly easy saves for Blackwood. They outshot the Avs 13-3 in the third, but the Avalanche have become the masters of the “bend, but don’t break” style of defense late in games. One thing I was impressed with about the Avalanche was how quickly they packed the middle without ever panicking in their own zone. That’s the difference between a contender and a team still building into that role.
At the end of the day, you walk away encouraged and annoyed at the same time. This wasn’t a step back, but it also wasn’t a breakthrough. The Flyers pushed the best team in the league, traded chances, and skated with them all game. They didn’t look outclassed, but when the game was on the line, the timing and detail of all aspects of the game, Colorado made the winning plays, and the Flyers didn’t. Today’s loss can be attributed to self-inflicted wounds for the Flyers. The Flyers want to be the comeback kids, but Today showed how small the gap is this season, and how much sharper they need to be to steal big games like today’s.
Steve Hamilton
Steve may have been born in California, but don’t let that fool you. After dating a local woman and clashing with her and her family over sports for decades, he has an affinity for Philly sports. Balancing love for Philly and Bay Area sports teams may seem impossible, we can all agree that the Cowboys are the true evil.
Get New Articles Emailed Right To Your Inbox:
