Dan Vladař sharp in net, but Flyers fall to Capitals in first game back from Olympic break

Jackie Spiegel, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Feb 25, 2026

Published in Hockey

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WASHINGTON — It feels like it’s been 84 years since the Flyers last played an NHL game.

On Wednesday night, they kicked off the final 26 games of the season against the Washington Capitals. Entering the night, Philly sat four points back of Washington — with three games in hand — and eight points back of a playoff spot.

By the end of the night, the Flyers saw themselves six points back of Washington, losing 3-1 at the Capital One Arena. They remain eight points back of the idle New York Islanders and Boston Bruins, and have a game in hand on the Islanders.

Trevor van Riemsdyk gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead with 5 minutes, 52 seconds left in regulation. Off the rush, Declan Chisholm dropped the puck to Aliaksei Protas and got it back near the left post. He then hit van Riemsdyk, the brother of former Flyers forward James van Riemsdyk, as he crashed the net.

Protas added a short-handed empty-net goal with 25.6 seconds left in the game.

The Flyers came out with some pep in their step to start the game, but were unable to capitalize until the third period when Noah Cates deflected a shot by Travis Sanheim 29 seconds in.

Rasmus Ristolainen applied pressure, creating a turnover to Matvei Michkov, who found Bobby Brink. The winger carried it down into the left face-off circle before hitting Sanheim for the quick shot, which Cates deflected. His goal ended an 18-game goal drought.

Dan Vladař told The Philadelphia Inquirer on Sunday that he “wasn’t the best” in his one game at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, a 6-3 win against France, where he allowed the trio of goals on 12 shots for Czechia. So maybe he had something to prove.

Vladař faced seven shots in the first period, and robbed the owner of 919 NHL goals, Alex Ovechkin. “The Great 8″ was left wide open in front after Ristolainen had the puck poked away from him in the corner by Dylan Strome, who fed Ovechkin. Vladař then stopped Strome’s point shot as Travis Konecny’s clearing attempt went right to him.

In the second period, the Capitals outshot the Flyers 10-9 and seemed to have the ice tilted their way. Although they broke through once — and missed the net a few more times — Vladař came up big again to keep the score close.

He stopped a point shot by Ethan Frank off a face-off win, kicked out a Ryan Leonard shot to the boards, and then seconds later made a masterful stop on another shot by Leonard.

Late in the middle frame, Vladař made a save on a Brandon Duhaime shot from nine feet out, and Nick Seeler pushed it back for him to cover. But there was a bit of a scramble, and Seeler fell over him, and the goalie seemed a bit stung. He flexed his right arm at the next whistle but stayed in the game.

Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin scored the Capitals’ opening goal in the second period. Philly regrouped and reset after a three-on-two by Washington — and Matvei Michkov broke up a pass in front, but then allowed the blueliner to skate down from the point behind him. Hendrix Lapierre found him for the 1-0 goal.

Breakaways

Defenseman Emil Andrae and forward Nic Deslauriers were the Flyers’ healthy scratches. What does Andrae, who hasn’t played since Jan. 26, need to do to get back into the lineup? “He’s not a PK guy,” said coach Rick Tocchet pregame. “So actually, this week, he’s worked on his penalty killing. That’s really what it’s going to come down to." … Forward Carl Grundström, who has been playing wing all season, centered the fourth line.

Up next

The Flyers’ restart is already grinding away as they face the New York Rangers on Thursday at Madison Square Garden.