Photo Credits: FNG’s Rob Windfelder
The idea of the Flyers running right up the road to play the Capitals again tomorrow night might not seem like the best idea in the world. But a night out of town to work out some bugs without the pressure of being at home might be just what the doctor ordered. The Flyers lost 4-1 to Washington at home tonight. This was the Flyers sixth game of the season and they have not won a game since opening night.
The schedule has not been much help but whatever the reasons may be the symptoms and side-effects are clear. The Flyers are in a bit of a funk. Their return home from the western swing found them travel weary as they came out flat for the season home opener against Vancouver this past Saturday night. The fans aren’t happy, the players aren’t happy, nobody’s happy about it. So how do they get out of it?
Let’s Go!
Flyers Fans have been coming out in droves literally since development camp. Excitement and expectations are running high this year. The preseason gave the home town crowd a taste of what’s to come but things have just not been clicking for the club since the season officially started. Things are beginning to snowball. The high energy level of the faithful is quickly turning to frustration. After another long off-season people are hungry. Fans show up to the Farg looking for the new era gritty city chaos corner good time and it’s just not happening right now.
A chance to settle in and regroup might be what’s best for the team but since that is not a viable option maybe a night away from the home-team pressure will be helpful.
Philly vs D.C.
One thing that everyone can agree on is that the Flyers need to improve their power-play this season. It has been a major issue for years now but the preseason and the addition of Matvei Michkov have given hope for a possible light at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately that light was not visible tonight in Philly. Nic Dowd scored the Capitals first goal shorthanded 3:49 into the 1st period. The Flyers power-play got jammed up at the Caps blue line and Dowd ended up on a clean breakaway to beat Samuel Ersson and give Washington the early lead.
Ding Ding
Nick Deslauriers did his best to get the team fired up. He squared up against 6′-5″ Dylan Mcllrath less than five minutes into the game. It was a knockdown drag-out punch it up that went on for an extended period of time eventually closing to a draw. It was the first chance the hometown fans had to see Deslauriers this season and he gave them something to cheer about.
“Deja vu all over again”
With just over five minutes left in the 1st period the Flyers got another shot at the power play and a chance to even things up. There was another broken play just inside the Caps blueline which led to another breakaway. Andrew Mangiapane ripped one past Ersson high blocker side to put Washington up 2-0. Not one but two shorthanded goals in the 1st period of a game where the Flyers were hoping to break the spell.
This game was not for the faint of heart. It took a lot to stay in this one. It was hard hitting and there was plenty of questionable stick work, late hits, and assorted uncalled infractions. The Flyers got their share of chances in the 2nd period but nothing would stick. Everything was just a little off. There were some great efforts by Konecny, Laughton, Ristolainen but Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren was getting the job done.
Hope
Thirty-four seconds into the final period Travis Sanheim wristed a laser from the dot to score the Flyers first goal at home this season. Michkov to York, who found Sanheim in the circle and he fired the puck right past Lindgren’s ear. Hope! One minute and four seconds of hope before John Carlson beat Ersson with a nice tap in goal through traffic right in front.
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It was another rush that followed a breakdown at the Washington blue line. The Caps were playing with a lot more confidence than the Flyers. They were aggressive in their own zone coming right at the points and forcing the play. Just before the Carlson goal Jamie Drysdale was trying to get away from a defender along the Caps blue line and was chased in a huge circle that led to him getting stripped of the puck.
Confidence
It’s been a pattern as of late. Confidence is key. The Flyers are not passing crisply. They are not making their moves decisively enough. Their execution is not deliberate enough. These are all things that make up “the funk”. It’s a self fulfilling prophesy. The snake eating it’s own tail. You’re not confident because you are screwing up, and you are screwing up because you are not confident. It’s not the end of the world. It happens to teams all the time. Finding your way out of it is part of building your team’s character.
Jakob Chychron scored the final goal of the night taking the Capitals lead to 4-1 which is how this one went into the books. The Flyers finished out the game using up each other’s energy dumping the puck back and forth into the corners and chasing it down.
Something’s gotta give
The Flyers need to find their way out of this, and they will. It’s a terrible way to start a season which is only exacerbating the situation. As time was running out on this match-up the Capitals were playing keep away with the puck behind their own net as the Flyers Fans who hadn’t already left the building rained down a chorus of boos. Things are miserable right now in Flyers World, perhaps a night out of town will be good for everyone.
Next Up: Wednesday October 23rd (tonight) Flyers vs Capitals in Washington 7:30.
Seriously???? They need a night out of town after 2 home games?? Give me a break!