Flyers Locker Room: Costly Lapses, Missed Chances in Loss to Ranger

There were a lot of momentum swings in the Philadelphia Flyers 6-3 loss Saturday to the New York Rangers. Both teams had momentum shifts where they turned the game in their favor for stretches of time.

The Flyers got a shorthanded goal from Scott Laughton, and a Morgan Frost snipe to cut two different deficits to one goal. But they couldn’t use that to get the equalizer.

Two empty-net goals from the Rangers sealed this one in the game’s final moments. Here’s what the Philadelphia Flyers had to say after the loss:

Carter Hart

On if a few bounces the other way could’ve changed the outcome of this game:

“Yeah, for sure. Obviously, it’s a game of inches, a game of bounces. They get a few that go their way, we get a few that don’t. At the end of the day, I want to make one more save. For the most part, I feel we played a pretty solid game.

On if they got a sense of how dynamic the Rangers can be:

“We know they’ve got a lot of skill up front. They can make plays, they have four guys on the rush usually. And a couple times they got behind our guys. Just the way it is, it happens. Obviously, we’ve got to look at it, learn from it, and move on.”

On how aware you have to be about the Rangers in transition:

“You have to be ready for anything. They love their set plays. Especially with Fox, Panarin, Zibanejad, those three players. But we prepare the same for every game.”

Morgan Frost

On the power play generating chances but failing to convert, going 0 for 4:

“I actually thought we did some good things on the power play. Obviously, that’s the goal; we didn’t do that tonight. It definitely hurts, but at the same time, it kind of gave us a little momentum. But yeah, gotta find a way to put it in.”

On entries into the zone on the power play and if they’re getting better:

“To be honest, a lot of it falls on me. Throughout the year, I’ve had tons of opportunities and I’ve kind of turned it over at the blue line. But I think tonight we had some good ones and I guess you can say it was a step in the right direction.”

On if the game felt like it was filled with momentum shifts:

“I think we felt pretty good about our game the whole time. No one got down when they went up a goal or two goals. We had good energy all night. We were right there, just a couple bounces here and there. It’s obviously frustrating but I think we gave it our all out there tonight.”

James van Riemsdyk

On the momentum from the consecutive power plays in the second:

“Certainly, it was a big part of the game. Obviously, we got some snapping it around a bit and then they score at the end there. Definitely not ideal, but they’re a high-octane team. They seem to make some nice plays and execute well in some situations.”

On if the team staggered after Miller’s goal:

“It’s hard to say. With the style they play, they are really good on the rush and making plays off those. There were a couple goals like that where they made good plays from the neutral zone looking for that second and third layer to find guys. That’s kind of the recipe they’re looking for a lot of times out there.”

Scott Laughton

On what went wrong in the loss:

“Third goal is my fault on the back door there. Fourth, turn it over in the offensive zone. They made some plays, they made some wide plays. Thought we battled hard; we gave them a little too much time and space. They can dice you up pretty easily. Regroup and get back it, but pretty good compete level from our group as far as no quit late in the game.”

On if they got caught puck-watching after Miller’s goal:

“I think it was their third goal, hits the linesman three times in the neutral zone. Puck-watching. They go down, make a good play backdoor and it’s in the back of your net. It happens that way. Regroup, get back at it, but a couple of good things that we can take away from it and that’s it.”

On avoiding lapses similar to the second period: 

“It’s something we’re learning and continue to learn, I guess. They’re a good team, you’ve got to give them credit. Something we’ll have to look at and continue to get better at.”