Flyers Lose Tight Shootout Battle to Blue Jackets

Philadelphia falls 2-1 in overtime despite strong goaltending performance

Mar. 15, 2026 at 5:04pm

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The Philadelphia Flyers fell to the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 in a shootout on Saturday night. Kirill Marchenko scored the lone goal in the shootout to give Columbus the victory. The Flyers got a goal from Alex Bump in the first period to tie the game at 1-1, but neither team could find the back of the net after that. Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar made 27 saves on 28 shots, but it wasn't enough as Philadelphia missed out on a valuable point in the standings.

Why it matters

The loss was a tough one for the Flyers, who are fighting for a playoff spot in the competitive Metropolitan Division. Every point is crucial down the stretch, and Philadelphia's inability to capitalize on their power play opportunities ultimately proved costly in the narrow defeat.

The details

Marchenko gave Columbus the early lead with a goal in the first period, but Bump quickly answered for the Flyers to tie it up. The game remained deadlocked through regulation and overtime, setting up the shootout. Marchenko was the only player to score in the shootout, securing the win for the Blue Jackets.

  • The game was played on Saturday, March 15, 2026.
  • Marchenko scored the opening goal for Columbus at the 4:21 mark of the first period.
  • Bump tied the game for the Flyers at the 10:24 mark of the first period.
  • Fantilli and Grundstrom fought at the 12:18 mark of the second period.
  • Severson took a double-minor penalty with two seconds left in the second period, giving the Flyers a 5-on-3 power play.

The players

Dan Vladar

The Flyers' starting goaltender, who made 27 saves on 28 shots in the game.

Kirill Marchenko

The Blue Jackets forward who scored the opening goal and the lone shootout goal to give Columbus the victory.

Alex Bump

The Flyers forward who scored the game-tying goal in the first period.

Jet Greaves

The Blue Jackets' goaltender, who made several key saves to preserve the win for Columbus.

Adam Fantilli

The Blue Jackets rookie forward who fought with Grundstrom in the second period.

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What they’re saying

“We had our chances, but just couldn't capitalize. Vladar kept us in it, but we needed to find a way to get that second goal.”

— Alex Bump, Flyers Forward (flyersnittygritty.com)

“It was a hard-fought game on both sides. We knew the Flyers would come out strong, and we were able to weather the storm and get the extra point in the shootout.”

— Kirill Marchenko, Blue Jackets Forward (flyersnittygritty.com)

What’s next

The Flyers will look to bounce back on Wednesday, March 18th when they travel to Anaheim to take on the Ducks.

The takeaway

This was a tough loss for the Flyers, who were unable to capitalize on their power play opportunities and ultimately fell short in the shootout. However, the team can take solace in Vladar's strong goaltending performance, and will need to regroup quickly as they continue their push for a playoff spot.