The Flyers are back in action today for Game 6, as they take on the New York Islanders at 7:00 pm on NBC Sports, and other major outlets. The Flyers are hoping to stave off elimination once again.
Clean Zone Entries And Power Play
The Flyers haven’t had many Power Plays this series against the Isles. Howsever, the orange and black have failed to convert on eight Power Plays this series, and this has left the Flyers with an atrocious 11.25 success rate (4-45 with the man advantage).
They have been inconsistent in this area, as the Flyers have struggled with zone entries throughout the majority of this series. The Islanders suffocate the Flyers, forcing players into making uncharacteristic turnovers, and standing players up at the blue line. This forces the Flyers to play dump and chase, to which the orange and black lose many battles with the lack of forechecking. Unfortunately, this is happening 5-on-5 and with the man advantage, and it is heavily favoring the Islanders. The Islanders remain ahead in the series, and this is one reason why.
Get Pucks On Net
The Flyers struggled with getting pucks on net from the point, until Philippe Myers broke through, and Claude Giroux tipped it home for his first goal of the playoffs. Ivan Provorov also blasted a puck from the point in overtime that lead to the game winner by Scott Laughton, as he deflected the puck home to force a Game 6.
This pesky Isles team are just so good defensively. They blocked 28 shots alone in Game 5, 28 blocked shots to the Flyers 10. The Flyers have to have the same mentality, just shoot from anywhere, and not try to make cute plays because of such. They should blast the puck from anywhere in hopes of finding a rebound, or create a dirty goal off an Islanders player sacrificing his body to block a shot.
Shutdown Jean-Gabriel Pageau And Mathew Barzal
Pageau has torched the Flyers, and Barzal has too. Barzal will be a game time decision tonight, but I’m sure Alain Vigneault has prepared his club with Barzal in the Isles lineup.
These two combined have torched the Flyers for four goals, and three assists. Pageau has turned out to be a heck of an addition for the Islanders, and has really formulated one of the best third lines in the playoffs at the moment with Derick Brassard. Barzal and Pageau have been fast, smart, and have been so tough to move off the puck. How many times throughout this series have people seen Barzal run a clinic with the puck for about 50 seconds or so. Simply put, the Flyers have to shut down these two key Centermen to fight to see another day in these playoffs.
Attack, Attack, Attack
The Flyers cannot lose focus. They have to take this one game at a time. The Flyers have to win the puck possession battle against the Isles tonight to force a game 7. They did a much better job for the most part in Game 6 with time of possession (Although, at times it was inconsistent), and hopefully that continues tonight.
This young Flyers team has to stay Gritty, and forecheck well. Match the Islanders physicality along the boards, win the loose puck battles, and get to the front of the net to score dirty goals. Hopefully, if the Flyers get a lead they continue to attack, as opposed to sitting back and playing a defensive style type of hockey. This worked against the Montreal Canadiens, but the Islanders are a much better team across the board, so the focus should be attack, attack, attack, or pay the price. The Flyers will not win every game in overtime, their magic is bound to wear off at some point.
Carter Hart will start for the Flyers, and he could move into 9th All-Time tonight in Flyers history for most wins for a Goaltender in the playoffs, with a win of course:
