The Flyers' recent six-game losing streak was something that they had experienced for the first time this season — the opportunity for them to experience a longer stretch of adversity.
Previously, the most adversity they had faced all season came in Game 2, when they were outclassed 7-1 by a young Florida Panthers team. One players-only meeting later, they rallied back with four wins in their next five games, bringing their record to a decent 4-2-1.
It's no secret that adversity is one of the few common denominators across every NHL team in every NHL season. Adversity, along with an 82-game season, composite sticks and intense playoff overtime, is one universal concept in today's NHL.
Over this six-game stretch, the Flyers were outscored by their opponents 16-9. They looked entirely sluggish at (most) times, their powerplay was abominable and they resembled a junior-league team most of the time. It was quite unpleasant for fans to watch, and considering the Western start times, was barely even worth staying up late for.
But for Dave Hakstol and Ron Hextall, the important thing to consider is patience. Taking a patient approach to this stretch of adversity would be helpful, rather than making any brash decisions that could stifle future progress.
Factoring in the team's expectations, there were not a lot to focus on this season. While the Flyers have been in a constant "win-now" mode for the bulk of their existence, they've still shifted that to a rebuilding approach — no, not as drastic as their fellow Wells Fargo Center tenants, but still emphasizing a heavy emphasis on the team's future. Let's face it, the Flyers were pegged as nothing more than a playoff bubble team at the beginning of the season, as younger players gain experience and Hakstol adjusts to the rigors of an NHL season.
What's frustrating about extended losing streaks is that there is no telling when they will pop up. Hell, there is no telling how many times they will occur. We can only hope that this will be the only stretch where the Orange and Black will lose six or more games (even 5-plus games), but there's not much that can be done to control that.
Of course, as the losses start to mount, it gets to be frustrating. It's frustrating for a coach to watch his gameplan be carved apart, and at the same time, it's frustrating for the players when nothing at all seems to be going right. While it is frustrating, the best way is to stay patient and work through the frustrations — after all, losing streaks won't last for the entirety of the season.
The Flyers are not the first team to lose six-consecutive games this season, and they won't be the last. This will even be far from the last time in history that they lose six in a row. But they've been presented with their first longer-term adversity of the season, and now, fans will get to see how they work through that adversity.
Rob Riches is a contributor to Flyerdelphia and Sports Talk Philly. Follow him on Twitter @Riches61
