3 Flyers Takeaways from Loss to Red Wings: Olle Lycksell; Anemic Offense

The Philadelphia Flyers look destined for a deflating conclusion to the month of January with their latest loss – a 3-0 shutout at the hands of the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday night.

With losses to the Colorado Avalanche, Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning, and now the Red Wings, the Flyers are now on their longest losing streak of the season. This is just the second time Philadelphia has been shut out this season, with the first coming in a 5-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Nov. 4. The Flyers have scored just seven even strength goals during this four-game skid.

That all being said, let’s talk Flyers takeaways.

Defense Plays Their Part

The Red Wings scored three times on 17 shots. The good news is that they only had 17 shots, and the bad news is that nearly a fifth of them went in.

Part of that is just how the Flyers play defense. Blocking shots doesn’t come without risk, and on Friday, two of the three goals against – all in the second period – came off deflections.

Moritz Seider’s goal completely changed direction after hitting Morgan Frost’s skate, and Andrew Copp’s shorthanded tally got a piece of Egor Zamula before getting past Sam Ersson. Ersson’s only true goal against was Dylan Larkin’s rebound tally, which Sean Walker failed to clear at the side of the net after Ersson stopped Lucas Raymond’s initial shot.

In any sport, but hockey especially, it’s give and take. Sure, the Flyers didn’t have bounces go their way. On the other hand, it is literally impossible to win a game in which you do not score a goal.

Flyers Anemic Without Tippett

The Flyers have been without Owen Tippett for the last three games, and they’ve lost all three. Across those three games, the Flyers have exactly three goals at even strength. It’s nice that the power play has been able to find the net, but this kind of finishing isn’t good enough at this time of year.

Getting blanked on 30 shots on goal by former friend Alex Lyon is proof of that.

Travis Konecny has one goal in his last 10 games and will have one last chance to redeem himself before heading to Toronto for the All-Star break. Sean Couturier has scored once in his last 14 appearances. Scott Laughton has two in his last 15, and one was a penalty shot.

It’s been the Tippett, Morgan Frost, Joel Farabee, and Cam Atkinson show lately. The Flyers need more contributions all around, but especially so from the guys that play the most minutes.

Olle Lycksell Flashes Skills

When the Flyers sent Bobby Brink down to the AHL to play with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, there was genuine concern as to whether his replacement, Olle Lycksell, would be a victim of circumstance and also ride the bench.

Lycksell did make it onto the ice and has had a few flashy plays to show for it. One play against the Red Wings that stood out was when the 24-year-old toe-dragged the puck in tight and tried to go upstairs on Lyon. The shot ended up hitting the crossbar, but it’s flashes of brilliance like that that can buy the Flyers a goal when they need one. Unfortunately, luck wasn’t on Lycksell’s side on Thursday night.

Since scratching Brink on Jan. 18, the Flyers are 1-4-0. He’s another player that can make flashy plays and execute crafty passes. Perhaps the Flyers could use both him and Lycksell in the lineup, but that’s a conversation for another time.

The Flyers will have one last chance to head into the All-Star break on a high note when they host the Boston Bruins at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday at Wells Fargo Center.

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