Flyers Falter in Hershey, Drop Preseason Tilt To Capitals, 5-1
HERSHEY, PA — The Philadelphia Flyers trudged through another disappointing night on Thursday, September 25, 2025, falling 5-1 to the Washington Capitals at the Giant Center in their third straight road game to open the 2025-26 NHL preseason. The lopsided loss, the first NHL preseason game in Hershey since 2006, underscored the Flyers’ early struggles, leaving a sour taste for fans hoping for a spark to ignite the new campaign.
The Capitals wasted no time asserting dominance, striking first in the opening period with a power-play goal from prospect Andrew Cristall, setting a tone the Flyers never managed to counter. Washington’s offensive onslaught continued in the second, with Ivan Miroshnichenko and Sonny Milano padding the lead, while Connor McMichael’s shorthanded tally in the third period poured salt in an already gaping wound. Milano added another for good measure, capping Washington’s five-goal rout.
Philadelphia’s lone bright spot came in the second period when Jacob Gaucher, a newcomer to the Flyers’ preseason lineup, notched his first goal in orange and black, briefly cutting the deficit. Rodrigo Abols, a consistent presence in all three of Philadelphia’s preseason games, picked up an assist on the play, adding to his modest two-point (1g-1a) total so far. But the flicker of hope was quickly snuffed out as the Capitals’ relentless attack overwhelmed the Flyers’ defense.
In net, Philadelphia’s goaltending tandem of Alexei Kolosov and Dan Vladar, the latter making his preseason debut, struggled to stem the tide. Vladar stopped 12 of 16 shots before being pulled, while Kolosov fared slightly better, turning aside 8 of 9. Meanwhile, Washington’s Charlie Stevenson was a wall, stopping 16 of 17 shots to secure the win.
Travis Konecny and Cam York, also debuting in the preseason, failed to make a significant impact, with the team’s offense mustering little beyond Gaucher’s lone strike. Owen Tippett led the Flyers with four shots on goal, but his efforts couldn’t ignite a stagnant attack that seemed out of sync and overmatched.
As the Flyers limp through the early stages of the preseason, the outlook feels grim. Three games, three road contests, and precious little to show for it. The team’s lack of cohesion and inability to match Washington’s intensity raise questions about their readiness as the regular season looms. For a franchise desperate to turn the page on recent mediocrity, nights like these in Hershey do little to inspire confidence. The Flyers now return to Philadelphia, hoping to find answers before their next test, but the early signs suggest a long, uphill battle ahead.
- Jesse Bell/Olde City Sports Network
- Photo Credit/Philadelphia Flyers
