Apr 20, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; The Phillie Phantic and Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty greet each other during the Phanatic's birthday party before game between Philadelphia Phillies and Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Eric Hartline
PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia Phillies are no strangers to South Philly playoff nailbiters. Usually, they're the home team, doing everything they can to grit out a win and appease the incensed crowds.
Well, on Wednesday night, a coincidental rainout gave the Phillies the chance to see how the other side lives. They were among the incendiary crowd at Xfinity Mobile Arena for the Philadelphia Flyers' series-clinching Game 6 overtime victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The plan came together quickly. The Phillies officially announced their game had been postponed at 5:49 p.m., and by 7:30 p.m., the Phillies players had made their way across the street to watch their hockey counterparts.
"I was so glad we could make it come together so quickly," Tanner Banks said Thursday. "Not sure how we did, but we did, and it was a great time."
Wednesday night was Banks' first playoff hockey game, and his first Flyers game. Xfinity Mobile Arena made a great first impression on the relief pitcher.
"I didn't really have hockey growing up, and I didn't really go to my first professional game until I was in Arizona in 2015," Banks said. "It's great to have the hometown team in the playoffs and to see what that environment was like in that building last night."
In contrast, starting pitcher Jesús Luzardo had hockey very close by growing up. The self-described "big hockey guy" grew up 15 minutes from the Florida Panthers' home arena in Sunrise, Fla.
"I used to go to games all the time," Luzardo said. "I'm still a Florida Panthers fan, but it was awesome to see the Flyers last night. It was a great atmosphere. The crowd was awesome."
The crowd stuck around for 77 minutes of physical gameplay, in which Flyers goalie Dan Vladar put on an absolute clinic, making 42 saves and securing a shutout for the Orange and Black. Since the Phillies had to be at Citizens Bank Park early on Thursday morning, most of them left towards the end of regulation, but a handful stayed, and Cam York made sure they didn't regret it.
"Only a few guys stayed to the end," reliever Orion Kerkering said. "I was one of them, but if it went double overtime, I was probably going to bail because it was getting late. But it was so cool that they got it done."
Catcher J.T. Realmuto, currently on the IL nursing an injured back, also stuck around until the end.
"That overtime was exciting," Realmuto said. "A lot of the guys left, but I don't have to play today, so I stayed the whole time."
Ironically, even though the Phillies didn't even play on Wednesday night, their less-than-stellar on-field performance still somehow made headlines. Shortly into the third period, the Flyers introduced "ballplayers from the Philadelphia Phillies" and showcased the Phillies on the Jumbotron.
The less-than-positive reception they received from the crowd was, if nothing else, overwhelmingly Philadelphian.
Phillies players got boo’d at the Flyers game 😭 pic.twitter.com/glwgIBchKE
Nevertheless, the Phillies players took it in stride. They've played in this town long enough to know that starting a season with a 10-19 record doesn't cut it, so the boos didn't faze them. It's nothing they haven't heard before.
"We expected something like that, so it is what it is," Luzardo said. "Philly fans are passionate, so it doesn't bother me."
Fideri News Network V.P. of Sports and Editor Anthony SanFilippo contributed to this story.
