Philadelphia Flyers
Promising RW Wade Allison could soon help low-scoring Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers have had offensive problems most of the season. They have averaged 2.54 goals per game, which puts them 26th in the 32- team NHL.
More recently, they have scored two goals or fewer in their last five games.
Help may soon be on the way.
Hello, Wade Allison.
The sturdy 6-foot-2, 205-pound right winger isn’t going to be the answer to solve all the sad-sack Flyers’ problems.
But he would give them someone with very good hands and a booming shot, someone who plays with unbridled passion.
Allison, 24, is close to 100 percent healthy and played three games with the Phantoms this weekend, scoring a goal and firing a team-high three shots in Saturday’s 5-2 loss to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Penguins, then adding another goal in Sunday’s 4-3 overtime defeat to Toronto.
The Flyers are keeping close tabs on him, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he is soon recalled after they feel his conditioning is NHL-ready.
“I’m here working as hard as I can,” Allison said Sunday morning before preparing for a game against Toronto later in the afternoon. “I’m not in control of that (when he is recalled), so it’s not something I’m thinking about. I’m just doing the best I can here.”
Former #Flyers center Danny Briere helped assist head coach Ian Laperriere with @LVPhantoms last night. Briere is reportedly a finalist to become the Montreal Canadiens’ GM. https://t.co/yapwYH3aBo
— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) January 16, 2022
His goal Saturday “was late in the game. The game was kind of already out of hand, so it didn’t really matter,” said Allison, whose Phantoms had their nine-game points streak snapped. “But it was nice to get one; the floodgates are hopefully going to be open now.”
In a brief stint late last season with the Flyers, Allison was impressive, collecting seven points (four goals, three assists) in 14 games. That followed a terrific 10-game stint (four goals, nine points) with the Phantoms.
This season, Allison, 24, was again hit with injuries, which has been the story of his young career.
The former Western Michigan University star was expected to land a spot with the Flyers this season, but he suffered an ankle injury at training camp, and wasn’t activated and loaned to the Phantoms until Dec. 1. He played three games with the Phantoms, then was sidelined by an elbow injury.
He returned over the weekend and played two games. His road back to the NHL is underway.
“I still feel it,” he said of the wrist injury, “but it’s not an issue anymore. It’s something I can work through.”
Maybe for the struggling NHL team that plays its home games about 75 minutes up the road.
Breakaways
The Flyers (13-17-7) will visit the New York Islanders (11-13-6) on Monday and will play in UBS Arena for the first time. … The Flyers have lost seven straight (0-5-2), getting outscored by a 28-14 margin in that span. … The Flyers have five more points than the Islanders, but Philly has played seven more games.