The Philadelphia Flyers got their 2026 preseason underway Monday night, but the opening game did not go according to plan.

Philadelphia fell 5-2 to the Washington Capitals at GIANT Center in Hershey, dropping its first exhibition game of the year. While preseason results ultimately mean little in the bigger picture, the game provided the Flyers with an early opportunity to evaluate several young players fighting for roster spots.

The Flyers came out of the gate with some energy. Jack Studnicka opened the scoring just 2:42 into the game on the power play, finishing off a play created by Cole Knuble and Jett Luchanko. Knuble would later add a goal of his own, giving him a two-point night and immediately putting his name into the conversation surrounding the Flyers’ roster battles.

Washington scored twice before the end of the first period, then regained the lead late in the second after Knuble had tied the game at 2-2. The Capitals ultimately pulled away in the third, scoring twice and holding Philadelphia to just two shots on goal in the final period.

Martone has quiet preseason debut

One of the players Flyers fans were watching closely was Porter Martone. He did not register a shot on goal through the opening 20 minutes and, according to Broad Street Hockey’s game observations, struggled to generate sustained pressure with his linemates.

There was also a difficult moment late in the first period when Ryan Leonard scored to give Washington a 2-1 lead. Martone was unable to win the battle or get the puck out of the defensive zone before the Capitals eventually found the back of the net.

That doesn’t mean Martone’s preseason debut should be viewed as an indication of what’s to come. It’s one exhibition game, and the Flyers were using a lineup filled with players still competing for NHL jobs. But for a player generating plenty of excitement entering camp, Monday night was certainly a quieter performance than many would have hoped to see.

Cole Knuble continues to make his case

Knuble has already received positive attention during rookie camp and training camp, and his strong performance against Washington gives him another strong opportunity to make an impression on the coaching staff.

Jett Luchanko also showed some versatility, contributing an assist while seeing time on the penalty kill. With Denver Barkey leaving the game after taking a hard hit, the Flyers were forced to shuffle their forward combinations throughout the night.

Special teams become a problem

The Flyers also had opportunities to change the game on special teams but couldn’t capitalize.

Philadelphia went 1-for-3 on the power play, including a lengthy five-minute advantage in the second period that produced no goal. Washington’s penalty kill successfully weathered the extended pressure, and the Capitals eventually turned that momentum into another goal.

Even worse, Washington added a shorthanded goal in the third period to push the game to 5-2.

Those special teams sequences were among the biggest differences in the game, particularly with Philadelphia struggling to create enough offense at even strength late in the night.

One Game Down, Plenty Still to Evaluate

There is no reason for the Flyers to panic after one preseason game.

Philadelphia rested its five incumbent defensemen — Travis Sanheim, Rasmus Ristolainen, Cam York, Jamie Drysdale and Nick Seeler — while giving several players competing for roster spots an extended opportunity.

That makes the evaluation of individual performances more important than the final score.

The Flyers have three more preseason games to work through their roster, and Monday’s 5-2 loss provided plenty of film for the coaching staff to evaluate before the next opportunity arrives.

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