On March, 25, 2020, the Flyers (89 Points) currently sit one point out of first place in the Metropolitan Division with the Washington Capitals (90 Points). Unbelievable right!!! Then boom, this Coronavirus appears to have taken some jingle from Flyers fans. Don’t let it happen folks, as the greatest sport on Earth plans to reconvene at some point.
Carter Hart was 9-2 in his last 11 starts, while posting a 1.93 GAA, with a .934 Save Percentage. This is great stuff, and just one of many reasons the Flyers could enjoy an extended playoff run when the season reconvenes.
Goaltending
Carter Hart as aforementioned is 9-2 in his last 11 starts, and he is unstoppable this season at home. At home he is 20-3-2, with a 1.63 GAA, and a .943 Save Percentage. Hart was developing consistency both at home and away, and quite frankly this made him a dangerous Goaltender to face come playoff time.
Goaltending wins Stanley Cups (Jonathan Quick in 2012 and Jordan Binnington in 2019), and for that matter carries teams in the playoffs. Now, I’m not saying the Flyers will indeed win Lord Stanley’s Cup this season, but the Flyers appear destined for an extended playoff run with the Goaltending they were receiving from both Hart and Brian Elliott.
Elliott made a spot start on March 4, 2020, against a juggernaut in the Washington Capitals, before the season went into suspension. It was the first game he saw some rubber in over a week. For his efforts, Elliott held the Capitals to just two goals in the 5-2 victory, and posted a .926 Save Percentage for the game. Elliott and Hart have a great relationship on and off the ice, and they were fueling the playoff surge for the orange and black.
Balanced Scoring
Head Coach Alain Vigneault was rolling four solid lines before the suspension. Each line steps up on a different night, which makes it tough for opponents to effectively matchup against the Flyers. Teams are just having a hard time figuring out who to pair their top defencemen with what line. Moreover, the Flyers have nine players with 10 or more goals on the season. This is really making this team as a whole consistent for once.
It’s the top line one night, then the third line the next night, and even the fourth line is contributing goals (NAK scored against the Carolina Hurricanes on March 5, 2020). The Flyers have registered the most goals per game throughout the NHL since January 13, at a rate of 3.92 goals per game. I think it’s safe to say the orange and black have figured out Vigneault’s system.
Defense
Defense wins championships, and that is ever much so in the sport of hockey. The Flyers have played well defensively as a whole, since at least the month of January, and finally Mike Yeo can get some credit here as he coaches the Defense of this young Flyers team.
The Flyers have allowed the fewest shots in the league (1,977), good enough for an average of 28.64 per game. Moreover, Yeo and Vigneault have implemented a system of taking away space for opponents. Teams are having trouble entering the Flyers zone, and getting set for that matter through the neutral zone.
The Penalty Kill also sits 11th in the league, with a success rate of 81.8%. Yeo has really done a tremendous job with this unit, and have made the Flyers more aggressive for sure. However, every player is sacrificing parts of their bodies to block shots, but Hart and Elliott have both made big saves while being short-handed, as well. The best penalty killer a team could have is their Goaltender, and Hart and Elliott have both come up big in this area, while making timely saves.
Home Ice Advantage
As a player, one arena that would intimidate me the most would be the Wells Fargo Center. Proud orange clad fans from all over the world pack the house, and they can be boisterous at times, especially come playoff time. Much has been made about the lack of attendance for the orange and black this season, however, come playoff time it will be a packed house (To include the standing room only area).
Proud Flyers fans will shake off the dust off their playoff gear (Pins attached to their jerseys, and jersey’s that’s only worn during the playoffs). The building will be shaking from the noise of the crowd, and of course, our very own Lauren Hart will get the crowd amped up while singing the “Star Spangled Banner.” Good gosh, my hair is sticking up on my arms just thinking about it. It’s just a different atmosphere come playoff time, a great atmosphere as a matter of fact, if you are a Flyers fan.
All in all, the Flyers have been built for long-term success by former General Manager Ron Hextall, and now by the current GM Chuck Fletcher. There really is no reason why the Flyers shouldn’t be labeled as Cup contenders, and as a matter of fact it would be exactly what the City of Philadelphia needs right now. They are no longer pretenders that’s for sure.
