Flyers Have Played Better Than Their Stats Might Suggest

As the Philadelphia Flyers prepare to play their first game Monday since the All-Star break, where do they  stand in most NHL categories?

Not too good.

Under new coach John Tortorella, they have done a nice job getting to “hockey .500,” but they are mostly toward the bottom half of the league in stats.

The Flyers (21-21-9) have made a noticeable gain from last year in goals allowed. They surrendered 3.59 goals per game in 2021-22, and have reduced it to 3.16 (18th) this season.

Carchidi column: Bravo, Flyers

Credit Carter Hart’s goaltending — and Sam Ersson’s — for part of the improvement. Also credit an active forecheck for disrupting opponents and keeping the Philadelphia Flyers on the attack.

In addition, they have made a slight gain in goals scored, going from 2.56 (31st in the NHL) last year to 2.78 (27th) this season. That’s noteworthy because last year the Flyers had Cam Atkinson, Claude Giroux and Sean Couturier for a portions of the season. They have a lot more youth in their current lineup.

The Flyers, who host the New York Islanders on Monday, finished with a 25-46-11 record and 61 points last year. They are on pace for 82 points this season.

Here are this year’s stats through 51 games compared to a full season in 2021-22:

Goals per game: 2.78 (27th). Last year: 2.56 (31st).

Goals against per game: 3.16 (18th). Last year: 3.59 (27th).

Power play: 16% success rate (29th). Last year: 12.6% (32nd).

Penalty kill: 77.3% success rate (18th). Last year: 75.7% (26th).

Shots on goal per game: 30 (18th). Last year: 31.0 (16th).

Shots on goal against: 31.7, (tied for 17th). Last year: 34 (29th).

Faceoff percentage: 45.7% (29th). Last year: 52.1% (6th).

Shot-attempt percentage (Corsi percentage): 47.1% (25th). Last year: 46.6% (27th.

Breakaways

Travis Konecny is tied for 20th in the NHL with 24 goals. He is tied with Sidney Crosby, Kyle Connor, Steven Stamkos, and Alex Tuch. … Konecny and Laughton have three shorthanded goals and are tied for second in the NHL, behind Vegas’ Reilly Smith. … Nick Deslauriers leads the NHL with nine fights’ the Flyers have been in a league-high 25 fights, one more than the Vancouver Canucks.

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