Capitals Dominate Flyers in Preseason Showdown in Hershey

The Washington Capitals faced off against the Philadelphia Flyers in a preseason game at Hershey's Giant Center on September 25, 2025, marking the Capitals' first exhibition match in Hershey in nearly 19 years. The game ended with a decisive 5-1 victory for the Capitals, showcasing a blend of established players and promising prospects. Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery, who previously coached the Hershey Bears, expressed his excitement about returning to the venue, stating, “It’s a special place... I had a lot of good memories there.”

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The Capitals opened the scoring with a power-play goal from Andrew Cristall at 8:11 in the first period. Following Cristall's lead, Ivan Miroshnichenko and Sonny Milano extended the Capitals' lead to 3-0 by the end of the second period. Jacob Gaucher managed to score for the Flyers, narrowing the gap to 3-1, but the Capitals quickly responded with a shorthanded goal from Connor McMichael early in the third period. Milano capped off the scoring with his second goal of the night, assisted by Hendrix Lapierre.

Observations from the Capitals’ preseason game in Hershey, a 5-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers

Clay Stevenson was solid in goal for the Capitals, stopping 15 of 16 shots, while the Flyers' goaltending duo of Dan Vladar and Aleksei Kolosov faced a barrage of shots, with Kolosov ultimately allowing four goals on 20 shots.

Capitals Handle Flyers in Hershey

The game was notable for featuring two sets of brothers in the Capitals lineup: Dylan and Matt Strome, along with Aliaksei and Ilya Protas. This marked the first time the Strome brothers played together in a game since childhood. Coach Carbery highlighted the significance of this moment, saying, “To be able to do that is so special... it means a lot to them as parents for sure, but also those two individuals.”

Strome and Protas brothers take legendary photo together before Capitals preseason game in Hershey

Coach Spencer Carbery praised his team's performance, emphasizing their strong puck possession and defensive play. “I thought we did a really good job of breaking pucks out... it was very rare that we were going back to get the puck and couldn’t find a way out of our zone,” he noted. Conversely, Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet acknowledged the challenges faced by his team, stating, “I don’t know if there are any guys that played well... it was just a tough night for a lot of guys.”

Flyers evaluate plenty of bubble players in preseason loss to Capitals

Despite the Capitals' success, the Flyers faced criticism for their lack of offensive production. Tocchet remarked on the fatigue affecting his players, indicating that the team struggled to maintain momentum throughout the game. The Flyers went 0-for-4 on power plays, further compounding their difficulties.

Caps Face Flyers in Hershey

Following this game, the Capitals will continue their preseason schedule, while the Flyers will regroup and prepare for their next matchup against the Boston Bruins. The Capitals are looking to build on this momentum as they aim for a strong start to the regular season, which begins on October 8 against the Bruins.

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