Flyers visit Lightning seeking first win of season

The Philadelphia Flyers arrive in Tampa on Monday evening for a matchup against the Lightning, looking to secure their first victory after opening the 2026–27 season with zero wins in three games. The Flyers have accumulated two points through overtime losses but remain winless, hampered by offensive struggles that have produced only four goals so far. Goaltender Joseph Woll has emerged as a bright spot, posting a .929 save percentage across two games despite the losses, and is expected to start for the third consecutive game after Dan Vladar allowed seven goals in his debut.

The Tampa Bay Lightning enter the game with a 1–1 record and home-ice advantage at Benchmark International Arena. The Lightning defeated the Washington Capitals 3–1 on Saturday and hold a strong historical record against Philadelphia, leading the all-time series 58–46–13 with a 32–23–4 advantage at home. Last season, Tampa Bay won all three matchups against the Flyers, outscoring them 15–3. Andrei Vasilevskiy carries a 17–4–1 career record against Philadelphia with a .934 save percentage and six shutouts, while backup Dennis Hildeby is 2–0–0 with a .945 save percentage against the Flyers.

Philadelphia's early-season struggles extend beyond scoring. Head coach Rick Tocchet has cited poor game management and decision-making as areas of concern, with the team allowing 2.9 goals per game while scoring at the same rate last season. The Flyers are currently missing defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen (day-to-day, undisclosed injury) and forward Denver Barkey (lower-body injury), while forward Nikita Grebenkin is also listed as day-to-day. The team's defensive structure has shifted this season; Philadelphia currently ranks ninth in the NHL in blocked shot attempts allowed, a significant improvement from their 20th-place ranking last year, though this stems partly from a less disciplined approach of firing the puck from distance.

Tampa Bay will face injury considerations of their own, with defenseman Emil Lilleberg listed as day-to-day after sustaining an injury during a fight against Washington on Saturday. Forward Dominic James has been upgraded to day-to-day status but is not expected to play. The Lightning's power play looms as a potential advantage; the Flyers have killed off only 66 percent of opposition power plays through three games. Conversely, the Lightning have not yet converted chances into goals at their typical rate through two games despite strong overall play.

The game will be broadcast on NHL Network, with additional coverage on The Spot (Tampa Bay 66), NBCSP, and streaming via TampaBayLightning.com. The Lightning are favored at –214 on the moneyline, with the Flyers at +177. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. EDT.