Playoff party time in Philadelphia! Flyers, fans rejoice at long-awaited return to postseason
Apr 14, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers left wing Noah Cates (27) and defenseman Oliver Bonk (59) celebrate win against the Montral Canadiens at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Eric Hartline/Eric Hartline-Imagn Images PHILADELPHIA — Flyers fans could have been excused for thinking they entered some kind of time warp as they grabbed their “Let’s Go Flyers” rally towels on their way into the arena. The Grateful Dead cover band Splintered Sunlight jammed out to hits from the 1970s and graybeards old enough to remember the Flyers’ Stanley Cup victories swayed in their tie-dyed T-shirts.
Just down the concourse, Flyers Hall of Famer Joe Watson signed copies of his autobiography and all-time great Bobby Clarke was all smiles as he filled his cup — soda, not Stanley — at the press box fountain station. The good old days. The Flyers remained tethered for decades to the glory days like a dog on a leash because, well, what was there to really celebrate?
At last, plenty — and an unbridled optimism that even better seasons were ahead. The youth moment skated at full blast on the ice in a 4-2 win over Montreal a day after the Flyers clinched their first playoff berth since 2020 and their first home playoff series since 2018. Philadelphia’s first goal was scored by 19-year-old sensation Porter Martone, who just weeks ago starred at Michigan State and now could be a dangerous weapon in the first-round series against Pittsburgh.
Martone deflected a point shot from Matvei Michkov, the 21-year-old Russian who navigated an uneven first half of the season only to heat up as the games heightened in importance down the stretch. Michkov scored the Flyers’ third goal unassisted (20th overall) as one fan raised a “We Want More! ” sign.
Architects of the lengthy rebuild, general manager Danny Briere and team president Keith Jones, could bask in the credit tossed their way from social media to talk radio to even the written word for never wavering from their plan to build a playoff team through the draft and shrewd acquisitions for 20-somethings over making moves for quick-fix veterans with no long-term fit. Take a look at the clincher against Carolina: 2020 first-round pick Tyson Foerster, still just 24, scored the shootout winner that ignited pandemonium on the ice and in the stands. Just how young are the Flyers?
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