Deadlocked Wings, Flyers Face Off in Critical Encounter

Detroit and Philadelphia both trail Columbus by two points for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 8:25am

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The Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers, both trailing the Columbus Blue Jackets by two points for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, will face off on Thursday in Philadelphia. The Red Wings are coming off a 5-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, while the Flyers had their eight-game road winning streak snapped in a 6-4 loss to the Washington Capitals.

Why it matters

This game is crucial for both teams as they fight to keep their playoff hopes alive. With only eight games remaining for each team, every point is vital in the tight Eastern Conference wild-card race.

The details

The Red Wings and Flyers both have 86 points, two behind the Blue Jackets for the final wild-card spot. The teams have split their first two meetings this season, with the Flyers winning 5-3 on March 28 and the Red Wings losing 5-1 to the Penguins on Tuesday. Detroit's Dylan Larkin scored his 30th goal of the season in the loss, but it wasn't enough. Philadelphia's Travis Sanheim and Christian Dvorak each had a goal and an assist in the Flyers' loss to the Capitals.

  • The Red Wings and Flyers will face off on Thursday, April 2, 2026.
  • The teams will meet again next week in Detroit.

The players

Dylan Larkin

The Red Wings' leading scorer, who notched his sixth career 30-goal season in the loss to the Penguins.

Travis Sanheim

The Flyers defenseman who scored a goal and added an assist in the loss to the Capitals.

Christian Dvorak

The Flyers forward who also scored a goal and had an assist against the Capitals.

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What they’re saying

“Seems to be a different story every night. That's a tough one, but I think when you come to the rink, you put your equipment on and it's hockey, no matter what time of the year. It gets elevated this time of the year, but you have to make plays, you have to want the puck on your stick.”

— Dylan Larkin

“It's frustrating. Just on to the next game. We've been playing some really good hockey and we're just going to keep applying pressure. That's all we can do.”

— Travis Konecny, Flyers winger

“I liked a lot of our game. I thought we had a lot of good looks. Just couldn't outscore our mistakes tonight. And then, obviously, giving up two on their power play hurt us as well.”

— Travis Sanheim, Flyers defenseman

What’s next

The Red Wings and Flyers will meet again next week in Detroit, in another crucial matchup as they continue their fight for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

The takeaway

This game between the Red Wings and Flyers is a must-win for both teams as they battle to keep their playoff hopes alive. With the tight race in the Eastern Conference, every point is crucial, and the outcome of this game could have a significant impact on the final wild-card standings.