Photo Credit: The Pro Photo Group
By Noam Gumerman
Everything is on the line ahead of this weekend’s UFA action in Durham, where the 5-4 Carolina Flyers will play host to the 8-3 Atlanta Hustle for the fourth and final regular season meeting between these two teams in the 2025 UFA season. This could not be a more critical game for these two bitter South Division rivals. The Flyers are 1-2 against the Hustle this year so far, and need to even up the series to have a shot at making the playoffs.
For the Flyers, a win means they stay in the race for a playoff spot in the South, and remain one of the hottest teams in the league. A loss takes their playoff fate out of their hands, and puts their hopes for the final spot in the postseason on life support. For Atlanta, this is their regular-season finale. A win locks up their postseason berth that has looked long-coming due to their strong play throughout the season, while a loss opens up the door for some possible three-or-four-way tie shenanigans that could see any of these two teams or San Diego and Austin as the fourth team stuck on the outside.
Carolina does come into this game hotter than Atlanta. For starters, they’ve won the most recent matchup between the two back in June. Not to mention, the Flyers have won five games in a row, something no other team in the division can currently claim, let alone the Hustle.
If the Flyers are going to keep their playoff hopes alive, it will be the same way it’s been every game they’ve won this season: star power showing up, and an improved defense from the four-game losing streak they started the season on. Allan Laviolette has been the standout on the Flyers for sure (across the UFA as well) through an MVP-caliber season so far, but Jacob Fairfax has been just as effective the last few games on offense for Carolina as well. However the Flyers will be missing Fairfax for this crucial game due to a wedding. Not to mention Grayson Sanner’s steady consistency throughout the win streak too. And the D-line has shown up when it’s mattered most the last two months, with Drew Swanson leading the way in the huge win over Austin two weeks ago with three blocks by himself.
It’s do or die time here at the tail end of the UFA season. But the Flyers have had their backs up against the wall for months now, and they’ve risen to the occasion every time. What’s one more game to this group?
