Detroit Red Wings vs Philadelphia Flyers March 28, 2026 Review
Tippett’s Hat Trick Powers Flyers Past Red Wings in Crucial Playoff Battle
The Philadelphia Flyers kept their playoff hopes alive Saturday night with a hard-fought 5-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena. Owen Tippett’s hat trick proved to be the difference in a game that had significant implications for both teams’ postseason aspirations.
Tippett Dominates in Statement Performance
Owen Tippett delivered a masterclass performance on national television, scoring three goals to lead the Flyers to victory. The right winger wasted no time making his presence felt, opening the scoring just 4:07 into the first period. After Moritz Seider turned the puck over at center ice, Trevor Zegras fed Tippett for a breakaway, and he buried it five-hole on Red Wings goaltender John Gibson.
Tippett’s second goal came at 12:28 of the second period when he took a pass from Denver Barkey in the high slot and squeezed a low wrist shot through Gibson’s pads and over the line. He completed his third career hat trick with a power-play goal at 7:19 of the third period, skating down the right side and firing a snap shot bar down over Gibson’s glove to make it 4-0.
The hat trick gives Tippett seven goals in his last nine games and brings his season total to 27 goals. Along with his three goals, Tippett also recorded an assist, matching his career high of four points in a game for the fourth time in his career. “Honestly, it’s a feel thing,” Tippett said. “When you are feeling good, you are playing with a lot of confidence. I think everyone in here would say that getting one early makes the rest of the night easier.”
Key Moments That Shaped the Game
The Flyers’ power play proved crucial in building their commanding lead. Noah Cates scored on the man advantage at 16:08 of the second period, shoving a loose puck over the goal line with Dylan Larkin in the penalty box. Travis Konecny’s shot from the left circle was tipped by Matvei Michkov, and Cates was able to push the rebound across the line for his career-high 17th goal of the season.
A pivotal moment came when Seider appeared to score for Detroit at 18:36 of the second period, but the Flyers successfully challenged that Alex DeBrincat had been offside, keeping the Red Wings off the scoreboard. The Flyers also had a goal called back for offside just 42 seconds into the third period, but it didn’t slow their momentum.
Red Wings’ Late Rally Falls Short
Trailing 4-0 with just over six minutes remaining, the Red Wings finally showed signs of life. Mason Appleton, Alex DeBrincat, and Lucas Raymond scored three goals in a span of just 2:31, making it a 4-3 game with 3:46 left to play and sending the 19,515 fans at Little Caesars Arena into a frenzy.
Appleton triggered the surge with a snap shot from the left dot that beat Dan Vladar under the glove at 13:43. DeBrincat followed with a wrist shot over Vladar’s stick at 15:10, and Raymond completed the rally at 16:14 with a snap shot after receiving a pass from Seider.
However, Sean Couturier ended any hopes of a complete comeback by scoring an empty-net goal at 17:56, restoring Philadelphia’s two-goal advantage and sealing the victory. “I don’t want to knock the Philadelphia Flyers, because they just drilled us, but they were done too when it was 4-0,” Red Wings coach Todd McLellan said. “If the game was 3-1, none of that would have ever happened.”
Goaltending and Defensive Performances
Dan Vladar earned the win for Philadelphia, making 31 saves in a solid performance despite the late scare. He made several key stops throughout the first 50 minutes to preserve the Flyers’ shutout before Detroit’s furious rally.
John Gibson made 17 saves for Detroit before being replaced by Cam Talbot at 7:19 of the third period after Tippett’s hat trick goal. Talbot saved all four shots he faced in relief. Moritz Seider and Patrick Kane each recorded two assists for the Red Wings in the losing effort.
Playoff Race Implications
This victory was massive for Philadelphia’s playoff push. The Flyers improved to 36-24-12 (84 points) and are now three points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets (87 points) for the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot, with two fewer games played than Columbus.
For the Red Wings, the loss was a significant setback in their quest to end a lengthy playoff drought. Detroit fell to 39-26-8 (86 points) and remains tied with the Ottawa Senators, who also have 86 points but have played one more game. The Red Wings sit two points ahead of Philadelphia and one point behind Columbus for the final wild-card position.
The Red Wings have now lost three of their last four games, including three straight at home, and are struggling to find consistency at a critical juncture of the season. Red Wings coach Todd McLellan expressed his disappointment, calling it “a disappointing response to getting a big win last night in Buffalo,” where Detroit had defeated the Sabres 5-2.
Looking Ahead
The Flyers, who have won seven of their last nine games and earned points in eight of nine (7-1-1), will look to build on this momentum when they host the Dallas Stars on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Red Wings will try to regroup before visiting the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night.
These two teams will meet twice more this season, on April 2 at Philadelphia and April 9 back in Detroit, with both games likely to carry significant playoff implications as the regular season winds down.
Saturday’s game demonstrated the intensity and urgency that defines late-season hockey. Flyers coach Rick Tocchet praised his team’s effort, saying “I loved that game for 55 minutes,” while acknowledging there were “some things late that we need to shore up.” For Detroit, DeBrincat summed up the frustration: “You can’t get behind 4-0 and expect to come back. You can’t have games like that at this time of the season.”
Photos: Tim Jarrold – In Play! magazine
