Tyson Foerster and Porter Martone basically put the Flyers on their back Thursday night. But despite Foerster scoring in his first game in four months, and Martone getting the primary assist on another, Philadelphia lost to Detroit 4-2 on Thursday night. The loss dealt a huge blow to the Flyers playoff hopes.
The basics
First period: 18:49- Alex DeBrincat (Patrick Kane, Moritz Seider) (PPG)
Second period: 0:31- Tyson Foerster (Owen Tippett, Trevor Zegras), 18:29- Lucas Raymond (J.T Compher, Simon Edvinsson)
Third period: 9:37- Patrick Kane (Andrew Copp), 10:29- Travis Konecny (Porter Martone, Christian Dvorak), 10:44- Alex DeBrincat (Andrew Copp, Patrick Kane)
SOG: 34 (PHI) – 19 (DET)
Some takeaways
Foerster’s return
After leaving the ice in the second period against Pittsburgh on Dec. 1, Flyers winger Tyson Foerster’s season was considered done. However, he had other plans. And those plans came to fruition, returning to the lineup Thursday night after missing the previous 49 games. While the last few days gave credence to the fact he was coming back, it was still a shock seeing #71 in the lineup again. On the line to start the game alongside Trevor Zegras and Owen Tippett, Foerster got the game’s first shot which Detroit’s John Gibson (making his 13th consecutive start) handled easily. The Flyers first great chance was a breakaway by Luke Glendening. Glendening barely missed the five-hole as Gibson’s stick just got enough of it.
It didn’t take long in the second as the Flyers tied things up on what looked like a broken play of sorts. The Flyers withstood a series of shots by Detroit before Foerster had the puck in the slot and made no mistake. His first game back. His first goal in four months. And it was extremely timely!
TYSON FOERSTER TIES THE GAME!!!!! WELCOME BACK!!!!!!! WHAT A MOMENT. 1-1!!!#LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/dWIXwGLc3t
— Flyers Clips (@Flyers_Clips) April 3, 2026
The goal fuelled the Flyers in the second, putting the frustration of the first away and just bearing down, getting things done. They looked quicker, more aggressive, and not giving Detroit much of anything except defending. Foerster almost got his second of the night minutes later before delivering a good, heavy hit on Jacob Bernard-Docker. What was most grin-inducing was seeing Foerster shooting. No inkling of not shooting. Just firing it. In 9:12 of ice time through 40, Foerster was purring at a ridiculous 76.47 per cent in terms of Corsi For (13-4), only outdone by Luke Glendening (83.33 per cent) and Sean Couturier (86.67 per cent). Foerster finished the night with 16:15 of ice time and four shots on goal. And looked like he hadn’t missed four months.
Lady luck not on Ersson’s side
Heading into Thursday’s game, Flyers goalie Sam Ersson was undefeated since the Olympic break. Let that sink in for a minute. One of the worst goaltenders statistically in the league the first 75 per cent of the season has caught lightning in a bottle. A 5-0-0 record which was one-upper by a 1.46 goals-against average. Not to mention a ridiculously stellar .933 save percentage. And while his tandem partner Dan Vladar looks like he’s not quite working on a full tank of gas right now, Ersson’s play couldn’t come at a better time. After a penalty to the Flyers, Ersson was big, making some key stops which killed Detroit’s first power play.
In the second, Ersson wasn’t as busy but stoned David Perron on a broken play that left Perron in the slot. Late in the middle frame he also was big on a Detroit two-on-one when Alex DeBrincat’s wrister was gloved down by the Swedish netminder. He couldn’t do much about Detroit’s second goal late in the second. A broken play had the puck bounce of J.T. Compher’s skate to Lucas Raymond who put it in the mostly empty net to regain the lead.
The third period saw Detroit largely outplayed but capitalizing on their few chances. Neither of which were exactly Ersson’s fault. Patrick Kane rifled a shot high on the stick side to put Detroit up 3-1. And the fourth goal was the result of a rather unfortunate deflection. Four goals on 19 shots looked like a Sam Ersson night most of the season. On this night it didn’t tell the entire story.
Crowd into it
It wasn’t a playoff game, but it was the best the Flyers fans could hope for this late in the year. From cheering a big hit by Sean Couturier to Andrew Copp and later on Ben Chiarot, to jeering the officials on a rather wishy-washy call, the crowd at Xfinity Mobile Arena were into the proceedings intensely. They also seemed rightfully pissed at the call by Sean Couturier who took a shot before he tripped up Detroit’s Dylan Larkin. The Red Wings scored on this one, sending coach Rick Tocchet into a Tortorella-esque rant on the officials, mainly for the hit Emil Andrae took earlier. Although the loss dampened the mood obviously, the rink sounded like a playoff-like atmosphere. Hopefully there’s more of that to come, if not this year then next year.
Andrae rises to occasion
Emil Andrae is the smallest of the Flyers defenders. But he played big. After narrowly avoiding getting destroyed by a Red Wing just over the Detroit blueline in period one, Andrae didn’t back down. He used his body positioning and his hockey IQ to get the puck out quickly and relatively effectively in his limited minutes on the third pairing. Andrae also took out fourth-liner Mason Appleton quite nicely late in the second period. Overall, the defenseman showed up in a big way, looking far more involved and creative than his partner Nick Seeler.
Porter’s home debut delightful
Porter Martone was impressive in his National Hockey League debut Tuesday against Washington. He was on the ice for Christian Dvorak’s goal and nearly had his first of his career. In his home debut Thursday against the Red Wings, Martone rifled a shot from the side that just missed the mark early. Sadly, like he did in his first game, he was in the sin bin after a scrum. Whether it was to gain control of the situation, or simply to avoid things from getting out of hand, the officials picked on player. And that player was Martone. Philadelphia killed it. From then on, he was a presence and a menace the rest of the way.
But on the whole, Martone looked strong from the outset, rifling the puck high on Gibson when not doing the little things like winning puck battles, gaining body position, and putting him in a spot that would result in good scoring chances. Martone’s biggest obstacle of the night wasn’t so much the Red Wings but the officials. One of them proceeded to give him an earful after Martone was dumped and irked at no call. Like the Flyers all night, they ignored the incompetence as best they could.
The rookie nearly had his first in the third when he was in alone. But Gibson was able to turn him away. On Philadelphia’s first power play in the third, Martone drove to the net and Gibson had problems stopping it, but he did. The power play failed, but through no fault of Martone. With 13 minutes to go, Martone had a head-shaking seven shots on goal. Finally, he got his first point in the National Hockey League. Yet even that took some time determining (more on that later). Porter Martone had nine shots on goal at game’s end, with one assist, a +1, and 18:15 of ice time. As impressive a home debut from a Flyers rookie as you will see, regardless of the outcome.
Pouring it on in the third
With Detroit down to five defenseman, the Flyers kept coming, and coming, and coming! Outshooting Detroit 10-1 halfway through the third, Philadelphia had their chances, but Gibson was one better through the first 50 minutes. Detroit suffered another injury when defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker left the bench, leaving the Red Wings to just four defensemen. It was Detroit’s second shot of the period which put Philadelphia in a huge hole as Patrick Kane delivered an insurance marker which beat Ersson clean up high on the blocker side.
Jacob Bernard-Docker drove Travis Konecny into John Gibson while the puck ended up in the net. The goal was originally waved off but overturned after Rick Tocchet challenged it. Porter Martone got his first NHL point, 3-2 Red Wings lead.
— Andrew Coté (@acote_88) April 3, 2026
Goal: Konecny (27) pic.twitter.com/1pRPgQztWt
The Flyers had another incident involving the officials seconds after Kane’s goal. Porter Martone’s shot was deflected by Travis Konecny as he went into Gibson. The referees blew it off initially. Then ruled it was no goal because it was determined to be contact by Konecny, who was pushed in by a Red Wing. Tocchet challenged, which resulted in a review. This time they got it right, a good goal. Game on, right?
Well, not so much. Just 15 seconds later, a shot by Alex DeBrincat from a poor angle looked like it deflected of Rasmus Ristolainen’s stick and by Ersson. It seemed to deflate the crowd and, for the most part, Philadelphia. With 140 seconds left in regulation, Detroit iced it and Tocchet pulled Ersson for the sixth skater. But time ran out, leaving Philadelphia in a rather perilous position moving forward.
