Photographer: Kate Frese
The Flyers snapped a three-game losing streak on Wednesday with a commanding 4-0 win over Pittsburgh. But after a quick two-game stop at home, they head back out on the road for a quick stop against the New Jersey Devils.
A popular topic for discussion lately regarding the Flyers has been if the problem with the team in its current state is the talent level of the roster or the coaching of Dave Hakstol. There are arguments being made for each being the dominant problem. Here’s the problem for the Flyers: it’s both.
The Columbus Blue Jackets, still very much alive in the race for the Metropolitan Division title, helped dash the Flyers quickly fading playoff hopes some more with a 5-3 win on Monday at Wells Fargo Center.
The Flyers season looked dismal following the Stadium Series loss to Pittsburgh that held the Flyers at 63 points in the standings with very little progress being made over the previous weeks. It was at that time that I wrote that it would be better if the Flyers missed the playoffs. And that may still be true. But there’s one thing we didn’t account for: the rest of the playoff hopefuls keeping the Flyers in the race.
After taking Washington to the brink in overtime, the Orange and Black are looking to rebound against the Sabres, a team just two points behind them in the standings. The Flyers are three points out of the final wildcard spot as play begins on Tuesday night.
Just 10 days ago, the Flyers and Washington Capitals met in Philadelphia. Little has changed since then. Two wins in a row, even if scoring has remained hard to come by, is still a start. But the Capitals are the class of the NHL at the moment, and very difficult to contain. The opening face-off is set for 7:30 p.m. from Washington.
Philadelphia Flyers fans should not upset by Ron Hextall’s decision to re-sign Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Michal Neuvirth at the NHL trade deadline.
While the result wasn’t perfect, stringing together wins is the only way for the Flyers to have even the slightest chance of making the playoffs. Two in a row is a start. Here are 10 Postgame Points from Flyers-Panthers.
Michael Raffl left Tuesday’s game with a lower-body injury and did not return. GM Ron Hextall announced that Raffl will be out 6-to-8 weeks, essentially the remainder of the regular season.
The Flyers and goalie Michal Neuvirth have agreed to a two-year extension worth $5 million. In addition the Flyers also re-signed forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare to a two-year, $2.9 million deal.
