Flyers: Evaluating Their Road Trip, Looking to the Week Ahead

The Philadelphia Flyers went 1-1-1 on a three-game road trip that ended with Saturday’s 2-1 win over Ottawa and Claude Giroux.

The trip started with a 1-0 loss to the New York Rangers, followed by a 5-2 defeat in Toronto. Getting three out of a possible six points was passable, but the Flyers (6-3-2) are depending too much on goaltender Carter Hart’s excellence.

In other words, they are living dangerously.

Here are the highs and lows of the trip, and what lies ahead:

The good

• Hart, who has looked composed all season, was superb in his two road games during the week. He allowed a combined two goals against the Rangers and Senators, and stopped 68 of 70 shots, a .971 save percentage.

“I think the goaltender sets the tempo for your team,” coach John Tortorella said after Hart improved to 6-0-2 overall with a 1.97 GAA and .946 save percentage (second among NHL goalies with at least five games). “If he looks relaxed, I think it settles the team down, also.”

• Travis Konecny (12 points in 11 games) had assists on three of the Flyers’ four goals on the trip.
• In the win over Ottawa, the Flyers blocked 28 shots, including five by Travis Sanheim. “We played a full 60 minutes, and I thought it was our best defensive effort,” center Kevin Hayes said.
• Right winger Zack MacEwen emerged on the trip. He had a team-high four shots and four hits in Toronto, then scored the game-winner and had three hits and seven shot attempts against Ottawa. After clearing waivers and being sent to the Phantoms briefly, MacEwen returned to the Philadelphia Flyers and has three goals in nine games. He had three goals in 75 games last year. “His game continues to grow,” Tortorella said. “That’s why he’s getting important minutes out there.”
• Totorella liked how the “kids really stood in there” and gave him solid minutes against Ottawa. He mentioned Tanner Laczynski, Wade Allison, Owen Tippett, Morgan Frost and MacEwen. “Guys who are still trying to fight to figure who they are and where they fit with the team,” he said. “That was something that was bright for me.”

The passable

• Special teams were OK, but they made the difference in the win in Ottawa as they had a net of plus-1. All told, the Flyers’ power play was 2 for 12 on the trip, and their penalty kill was 11 for 13, including 5 for 5 against the Senators.

The bad

• The Flyers’ lack of puck possession improved against Ottawa, but it was awful against the Rangers and Maple Leafs. The Flyers were outshot on the trip, 114-72.
• The offense had to huff and puff to score; the Flyers managed a total of four goals on the trip, an average of 1.3 goals per game. Philly is 30th in the NHL in goals scored per game (2.55), and sixth in goals against (also 2.55).

The week ahead

• The Flyers host Craig Berube’s struggling St. Louis Blues (3-6) on Tuesday; play at Columbus (3-9) and Johnny Gaudreau (five goals, nine points in 12 games) on Thursday; and then host Giroux’s Senators (4-7) on Saturday afternoon and Dallas (8-3-1) on Sunday.

After winning their first three games, the Blues have lost six straight, during which they have been outscored, 30-10.