Flyers' Comeback Bid Falls Short Against Blue Jackets

Strong performances from Vladar and Konecny not enough to overcome Columbus

Jan. 28, 2026 at 10:47pm

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The Philadelphia Flyers fell to the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-3 despite a hat trick from Travis Konecny and a solid return to the net by goaltender Dan Vladar. The Flyers rallied to tie the game at 3-3 in the third period, but the Blue Jackets regained the lead shortly after and sealed the victory with an empty-net goal.

Why it matters

The loss is the Flyers' ninth in their last 11 games, a stretch in which they have struggled defensively and allowed over 4 goals per game on average. The team's playoff hopes are fading as they continue to slide down the standings.

The details

Konecny's three goals brought the Flyers back from a 3-1 deficit, but the team's defensive lapses proved costly. Vladar made several impressive saves in his first game back from injury, but the Flyers failed to provide enough support. Columbus took the lead just 38 seconds into the game and never relinquished it, despite the Flyers' comeback attempt.

  • The game was played on Wednesday, January 29, 2026.
  • Konecny scored his second and third goals to tie the game at 3-3 with under 5 minutes remaining in the third period.
  • Less than a minute and a half after Konecny's tying goal, the Blue Jackets regained the lead and added an empty-net goal to seal the victory.

The players

Travis Konecny

The Flyers' alternate captain scored a hat trick in the losing effort, bringing his season total to 20 goals and 28 assists.

Dan Vladar

The Flyers' goaltender made 26 saves in his return to the net after missing the previous six games with a lower-body injury.

Elvis Merzlikins

The Blue Jackets' goaltender stopped 24 of the Flyers' 27 shots to earn the victory.

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What they’re saying

“We must find a way to tighten up defensively and support our goaltender better. This is a tough stretch, but we need to dig deep and get back on track.”

— Rick Tocchet, Flyers Head Coach

What’s next

The Flyers will look to bounce back on Thursday when they visit the Boston Bruins.

The takeaway

The Flyers' struggles continue as they fall further out of playoff position. Improved defensive play and better support for their goaltender will be crucial if they hope to turn things around and keep their postseason hopes alive.