Flyers’ Cates out day-to-day with lower-body injury

The Philadelphia Flyers could be without a key forward for Game 3 of their second-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Head coach Rick Tocchet told the media, including team reporter Kendall Skalicky, that Noah Cates is out on a day-to-day basis with a lower-body injury he suffered in Game 2.

Cates recorded a shot on goal while skating 20:53 in the losing effort on Monday night, and now his status is in question for a crucial third game.

The 27-year-old Minnesota native is an excellent defensive forward whose presence is instrumental in carrying out Tocchet’s defensively strong philosophy.

Cates has enjoyed the best offensive season of his career in 2025-26, as he set career highs in every major offensive category with 18 goals, 29 assists and 47 points. He continued to be a key producer for the Flyers in a first-round series win in the Battle of Pennsylvania, as he posted four points in six games on a goal and three assists.

The Flyers are heading back home for Thursday night’s Game 3 in a precarious position after dropping both of the first two games of the series in Raleigh.

Philadelphia was badly outclassed in a 3-0 loss in Game 1, but bounced back in a major way in Monday night’s Game 2, taking an early 2-0 lead against a Carolina team that had not trailed in any of its prior five games this postseason.

Goals by Nikolaj Ehlers and Seth Jarvis powered a rally by the Hurricanes, though, and Taylor Hall’s overtime winner came despite the fact that the Flyers were the better team in the extra frame.

Now, Philadelphia will look to use its home-ice advantage to try to get back into a series the team entered as a hefty underdog. Game 3 is set for 8:00 PM EST on Thursday night from Xfinity Mobile Arena.