Post-traumatic: Flyers clang chances, pay price in Game 3 against Carolina

PHILADELPHIA -- When you're facing a superior team in a playoff series, and many knew the Carolina Hurricanes were just that before facing the Flyers in a second round series, you not only have to create unexpected chances for yourself, but you also have to complete them. 

The margin for error is razor thin in this series for the Flyers, so not capitalizing on golden opportunities isn't just unfortunate, it's, quite frankly, failure.

The Flyers failed many times early in a must-win Game 3 on Thursday, and it led to them being just one more loss away from the dreaded day of packing away the season. The 4-1 final score says exactly what it should  -  that the team with the shut-down penalty kill and the efficient power play, that moves the puck where it is supposed to go and that thrives on making opponents just look bad, was the victor.

But how different this game could have, maybe even should have, been had the Flyers been able to convert the golden opportunities presented to them early in the game.

In Monday's overtime loss in Game 2, forward Travis Konecny missed an open breakaway and talked after about how that's got to go in. Early in Thursday's game, he was presented the same opportunity and provided the same result as he hit the post this time.

It was just a few minutes later when Trevor Zegras picked off a Carolina giveaway at mid-ice and threaded a pass to a streaking Porter Martone with nothing but goalie Frederik Anderson in front of him. He rifled a wrist shot over the stationary glove of the goalie, only to hit where the post and crossbar meet.

.@NHLFlyers @MartonePorter Martone off the Post; so close yet so far #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/hi2BWTSTWV

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) May 8, 2026

Two posts in the first five minutes of the game. It's hard to say a game is decided, swayed or anything else with 55 minutes still to play, but it was certainly telling.

But it was just a minute later when the Flyers had yet another golden chance. Alex Bump threw a between-the-legs, behind-the-back pass along the boards to Martone who was at the left circle. His backhand shot was stopped by Anderson, but the rebound went to the oncoming Rasmus Ristolainen, who blasted a shot from the right circle. The puck went between the right arm and body of Anderson, slowed ever so slightly by his hip. When it hit the ice, the puck did so at an angle that slowed it just enough for defenseman Jaccob Slavin to sweep it away just before crossing the goal line. 

A little later, with the game still scoreless, Zegras jumped around a defender in the Carolina zone, stole the puck along the boards, backhanded a pass that eventually found Martone wide open out in front of the net. He then shuffled a pass over to Bump, also wide open. But Anderson fought that off, and while the chances grew, so too must have the frustration.

"We had chances all night, honestly," said captain Sean Couturier.

They did. Carolina scored the first goal of the game on the power play when Andrei Svechnikov's shot from the point caromed off the boards behind Flyers goalie Dan Vlader right onto the stick of Jordan Stall, who stuffed it off the left pad of Vladar for the 1-0 lead. Another bad break.

 After Zegras scored to tie it early in the second period, Bump was sent a pass that he tried to tip in and fell into Anderson. While Carolina tried to get the puck out, Martone stole it near the blue line. 

Bump, still getting to his skates in front of Anderson, got a perfect pass from Martone and found himself on the doorstep with no one around. A little bit of stick-handling to try and find a hole only led to a shot over the net, and all stayed even. But just for a while as Carolina netted a short-handed goal and then the domination became apparent as they put this series on the brink of ending.

Alex Bump plows into Andersen and has a chance shortly after. Porter Martone with the strip and feed. #Flyers pic.twitter.com/byIk2E74E5

— Flyers Nation (@FlyersNation) May 8, 2026

"We got off to a good start," said Travis Sanheim. "I think if we score a couple there on our Grade A's we get some confidence and it would have helped us throughout the game. Unfortunate the rest of the way, I guess."

Yes, and now the fortunes are on the cusp of running out and a whole bunch of "if only" statements are getting ready to be thrown around.

"I don't think it affected us a ton," said Christian Dvorak of the early failed opportunities. "We had looks. Sometimes they don't go in. That's hockey. I think it was good we were creating some breakaways, some odd-man rushes. It could flip the game if we get that first one. We just can't get too frustrated and stick with it and move forward."

Perhaps Thursday's game was something the Flyers can build on. Maybe knowing they had those great chances and were just inches away from getting a lead propels them, somehow. Add to that, they just saw the Pittsburgh Penguins come back from a 3-0 deficit to force a Game 6.

"We had a great first," said coach Rick Tocchet. "Five on fives, we were good. I thought we were the better team. It's two games in a row that were a penalty fest. We're not equipped for that. We want to play a five-on-five game and, like I said, we're a five-on-five team. The first period, we should have been up 3-0 and then all of the sudden penalties and miscues, giveaways start to creep in."