The Philadelphia Flyers have been woefully inconsistent for the better part of a month, leaving opportunities and valuable points in the standings unattended. A 5-3 loss to the Blue Jackets in Columbus on Wednesday night was just another setback in an already dismal stretch.
Travis Konecny's hat trick, which is undoubtedly a testament to his skill level, wasn't enough to stem the tide of the Flyers' woes. Dan Vladar's miraculous goaltending in his return from injury also couldn't save them from collapse. Instead, the team's listlessness and inability to execute basic defensive plays left them exposed to too many shooters.
The root of the problem lies with the Flyers' defensive structure. What was touted as a priority by first-year head coach Rick Tocchet – making sure backdoor passing options were covered up – has fallen apart. Opponents are now consistently targeting the weak side, leaving Vladar with no chance to make the save.
The power play, too, has been a disaster. The worst in the league at a 15.1 percent conversion rate, the Flyers went 0-for-5 on the man advantage against Columbus. Trevor Zegras' recent downturn and Owen Tippett's inconsistent scoring have also done little to alleviate the team's scoring woes.
The season was supposed to be a step forward for the Flyers, but instead, they've found themselves in a precarious position. With 57 points in the standings and a minus-10 overall goal differential, they trail the Bruins by eight points for the second Wild Card spot in the East.
The situation is bleak now that the Olympic break will take up most of February. The chances of turning things around seem slim, and the team's lack of execution has cost them dearly. As Travis Sanheim succinctly put it, "We shot ourselves in the foot a few times, and they capitalized on them. We're just not executing the way that we need to at this level."
Travis Konecny's hat trick, which is undoubtedly a testament to his skill level, wasn't enough to stem the tide of the Flyers' woes. Dan Vladar's miraculous goaltending in his return from injury also couldn't save them from collapse. Instead, the team's listlessness and inability to execute basic defensive plays left them exposed to too many shooters.
The root of the problem lies with the Flyers' defensive structure. What was touted as a priority by first-year head coach Rick Tocchet – making sure backdoor passing options were covered up – has fallen apart. Opponents are now consistently targeting the weak side, leaving Vladar with no chance to make the save.
The power play, too, has been a disaster. The worst in the league at a 15.1 percent conversion rate, the Flyers went 0-for-5 on the man advantage against Columbus. Trevor Zegras' recent downturn and Owen Tippett's inconsistent scoring have also done little to alleviate the team's scoring woes.
The season was supposed to be a step forward for the Flyers, but instead, they've found themselves in a precarious position. With 57 points in the standings and a minus-10 overall goal differential, they trail the Bruins by eight points for the second Wild Card spot in the East.
The situation is bleak now that the Olympic break will take up most of February. The chances of turning things around seem slim, and the team's lack of execution has cost them dearly. As Travis Sanheim succinctly put it, "We shot ourselves in the foot a few times, and they capitalized on them. We're just not executing the way that we need to at this level."
they gotta get their act together ASAP or they'll be stuck in 4th place for good 
dan vladar's return was a silver lining but even he can't single-handedly save them from collapse 
rick tocchet needs to revamp that defense, like, now 
and those power play woes? ugh, it's like they're trying to give the opposing team goals on a silver platter 
at least travis konecny's hat trick was a nice nod to his skills, but even that can't save them from being a mediocre team right now 
... I mean, what's going on with their defense? They can't even cover backdoor passes? That makes no sense! And Travis Konecny getting a hat trick is awesome, but it's not like he's carrying the team or anything. 
He needs help from his teammates for sure.
Trevor Zegras' downturn and Owen Tippett's inconsistency are super annoying though.
Or maybe they'll just keep struggling forever. Ugh, this is so frustrating! 
dey got exploited all over da ice. backdoor passin options? more like backdoor passes 2 da other team 
. power play? more like power fail 
. zegras' downturn & tippett's inconsistency ain't helpin none 
. trailin' da bruins by 8 points 4 da 2nd wild card spot... dat's bleak 
The Flyers are having a super tough season 
. And those power play struggles are just annoying 
dan vladar did his best but it wasnt enuf. rick tocchet said they needed 2 cover backdoor passes but i think he forgot or somethin 
. what was supposed to be a step forward for this team has turned into a disaster. with 57 points and a minus-10 goal differential, they're in trouble 
. it's gonna be tough for them to turn things around before the olympic break, but hey, you can't count out rick tocchet yet 