Flyers Struggle Early, Fall to Kings in Overtime

Philadelphia's 11th loss in 13 games comes after a sluggish start against Los Angeles.

Jan. 31, 2026 at 5:31pm

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The Philadelphia Flyers fell to the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 in overtime on Saturday, their 11th loss in their last 13 games. The Flyers fell behind 2-0 early in the first period before rallying to tie the game in the third period, but ultimately lost in overtime. The loss continues a difficult stretch for the struggling Flyers, who have had trouble getting off to strong starts in games.

Why it matters

The Flyers' recent struggles have seen them plummet in the standings, making it increasingly difficult for them to work their way back into playoff contention. Their inability to start games with energy and focus has been a major factor in their downfall, putting them in early holes that they've struggled to climb out of.

The details

The Kings jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period on a pair of goals from Adrian Kempe. The Flyers finally showed some life in the second period, with Trevor Zegras scoring to make it 2-1. They then tied the game early in the third on a goal by Travis Konecny. But in overtime, Quinton Byfield's wrist shot beat Flyers goalie Dan Vladar to give the Kings the win.

  • The Kings took a 2-0 lead a little more than seven minutes into the first period.
  • Zegras scored 39 seconds into the second period to make it 2-1.
  • Konecny tied the game at 2-2 just 25 seconds into the third period.
  • Byfield scored the game-winning goal for the Kings 2:48 into overtime.

The players

Adrian Kempe

Los Angeles Kings forward who scored both of the Kings' goals in the first period.

Trevor Zegras

Philadelphia Flyers forward who scored to make it 2-1 in the second period.

Travis Konecny

Philadelphia Flyers forward who scored the game-tying goal in the third period.

Quinton Byfield

Los Angeles Kings forward who scored the game-winning goal in overtime.

Dan Vladar

Philadelphia Flyers goaltender who allowed 3 goals on 21 shots.

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What they’re saying

“We've got some young guys. If a bad thing happens, it just snowballs. We've got to stop it. It's all part of the process of learning (to handle) adversity.”

— Rick Tocchet, Philadelphia Flyers Head Coach (nytimes.com)

“I think we're fine. We're good. It's a long year. We've played really well at times. We've played well at times and lost. I think there are ups and downs in a season. We're a very confident group and we all love each other and I think at the end of the day, when we get together, that's what we rely on.”

— Trevor Zegras, Philadelphia Flyers Forward (nytimes.com)

What’s next

The Flyers have just two games before the Olympic break, both at home, on Tuesday against the Washington Capitals and Thursday against the Ottawa Senators. To have any sort of hope to work themselves back into the playoff race coming out of the break, they'll probably need to capture them both.

The takeaway

The Flyers' inability to start games with energy and focus has been a major factor in their recent struggles, putting them in early holes that they've struggled to climb out of. If they can't figure out how to play with more early leads, their playoff hopes may soon be dashed.