Instant reactions: Tyson Foerster scores in return, Flyers blow big opportunity in loss to Red Wings

Oct 20, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers right wing Tyson Foerster (71) shoots the puck against the Seattle Kraken in the second period at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images Watch PHLY Flyers Postgame The Philadelphia Flyers got a huge boost to the Stanley Cup Playoff pursuit on Thursday, with the announcement Tyson Foerster would play for the first time since December first. Facing off with Wild Card rival Detroit Red Wings, the Orange & Black need all the help they can get to separate themselves from one of the teams they’re deadlocked with in the Eastern Conference standings.

For the 48th time in 75 games, the Flyers allowed the game’s first goal, but the returning Foerster erased the lead on the first shift of the second period, and despite entering the third trailing 2-1, it felt as if Philly could still take control of the final 20 minutes if they kept pressing and limited the Red Wings’ counter-rush chances. Unfortunately, despite bringing it to 3-2 on a Travis Konecny deflection goal that gave Porter Martone his first career point, the Flyers BLEW IT immediately after, allowing the Red Wings to kill their momentum by adding a fourth goal 15 seconds later to deliver a huge blow to the Flyers’ playoff chances. First period Highlight: Porter Martone continued his play from the third period of Tuesday’s game, getting off a couple of shot attempts, including one on net.

But it was the “cross-checking” penalty he got tagged with that began to get the Flyers’ bench hot. Martone joined a scrum a bit late in front of Sam Ersson and lightly bumped Lucas Raymond, and the officials took just one man out of the kerfuffle, the rookie. Luckily, the Flyers killed that penalty, but weren’t as fortunate when Sean Couturier got knocked down in traffic deep in the Detroit zone, getting his stick caught under Dylan Larkin on the way down, leading to a tripping call.

The Red Wings took advantage of the power play, scoring the period’s only goal on a high-slot snapper by Alex DeBrincat off a deflected feed from Patrick Kane on the RW wall. What I want to see next period: The Flyers played fine in the period. Despite the Wings getting the game’s only two power plays, shots on goal are tied at seven apiece.