The first half of the Philadelphia Flyers hosting the Anaheim Ducks had all the drama you could hope for, and then some. Unfortunately, it also involved two Flyers players having to leave the game early after suffering some brutal and dirty hits from the Ducks.

Cutter Gauthier opened the scoring but ever so quickly it was Trevor Zegras that popped in two quick goals (from the same spot in the zone) to shift the game in the home team’s favor and get us feeling oh so good again. But that’s what it was all about when it comes to pucks actually going into the back of the net. Also in the game, a couple shoulders or elbows went directly into the heads of two young Flyers.

Bobby Brink gets driven through carelessly, Noah Cates responds

Before a goal was even scored, with just over two minutes gone in the game, Bobby Brink had a prime scoring chance after a tidy passing play by his linemates. Well, before he was able to actually get a shot off, Ducks forward Jansen Harkins decided to drive across the zone and drill himself into the side of Brink’s skull.

Of course, like any good teammate, Noah Cates responded very quickly and dropped the gloves against Harkins, as the Ducks player decided to do not a whole lot and not really answer for his actions whatsoever.

Bobby Brink gets popped and Noah Cates drops the gloves with Jansen Harkins.

Cates gets an instigator. #Flyers pic.twitter.com/18HqVGqQ7G

— Flyers Nation (@FlyersNation) January 7, 2026

Because of that, Cates was given the classic 2-5-10 minute penalty — two minutes for instigating, five minutes for fighting, the 10 minute game misconduct for being the instigator — and suddenly the Flyers were without two of their forwards for at least the entire first period.

Unfortunately, as Cates returned after serving his penalties, Brink did not. In the middle of the second period, the Flyers confirmed that Brink will not be returning to the game. A brutal result to such a nasty play.

Jamie Drysdale suffers massive and dirty hit

Brink was not the only Flyer to leave the game before it ended.

Almost at the same time on the game clock but now in the second period, Jamie Drysdale dumped the puck in to start a little bit of offensive pressure for the Flyers as they’re comfortably up 3-1 and pushing Anaheim back on their heels. A whole lot of seconds after the young defenseman sent the puck behind the goal line, he circled around the point but was completely blindsided by a barreling Ross Johnston.

The Ducks goon laid out Drysdale in one of the dirtiest hits we’ve seen so far this season.

CAREER BUM AND KNOWN FUCKING LOSER ROSS JOHNSTON CRUSHES (AND INJURES) JAMIE DRYSDALE WELL BEHIND THE PLAY BECAUSE HE CAN’T DO ANYTHING HOCKEY SKILL WISE TO RETALIATE THE CLEAN HATHAWAY HIT SO HE HAS TO RESORT TO DIRTY PLAYS#LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/Yzt7FvbabM

— Flyers Clips (@Flyers_Clips) January 7, 2026

An absolutely insane play. The type of hit where you really question whether a player truly should be on the ice if they’re willing to just lay out a player dozens of feet away from the puck and a whole lot of seconds after they’ve last touched the puck. Drysdale was no longer involved in the play whatsoever, but still got a player, who clearly has a hockey brain the size of a grain of rice, driving himself through him and putting him down on the ice.

After laying down on the ice for a while, the team began to get the stretcher out for Drysdale but the defenseman soon after got to his feet and at least made his way to the locker room under his own power; if we want to be optimistic whatsoever about this situation.

Ross Johnston was given a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for the hit. But honestly, because of Drysdale being so far away from the play, there could be some potential suspension chatter.

At the time of writing, the Flyers have not given any official update on Drysdale and it remains unknown whether or not he will remain out for the rest of the game.