Articles by Matt Mastrogiovanni (37)
Top-tier draft picks in the National Hockey League are expected to make an immediate impact on their team. For some, those picks can completely change the course of a team’s performance. In the case of Nolan Patrick, the sophomore Flyer has yet to find his stride in the big league.
With a 5-0-1 record in their last six games, including Saturday’s statement 4-0 victory against Chicago, the Flyers seem to have found their mojo after a rocky start to the season. However, does it seem too good to be true?
After an embarrassing 8-2 loss in their home opener on Tuesday, the team’s flaws proved to be their downfall once again.
Throughout the summer, the NHL Network has been compiling lists of the top 20 players in each position. In the most recent installment, unveiled on Sunday, the league’s top 20 wingers were spotlighted with Flyers wingers Claude Giroux and Jake Voracek both making the list.
For the Flyers, the addition of James van Riemsdyk could give them a much-needed catalyst to propel the team’s power play to a top spot in the league.
After the disappointing outcome of Sunday’s contest, the Flyers find themselves in what may be a must-win situation being down 2-1 in the series against the Penguins with potentially just one more chance at grabbing a home-ice win in the series.
Meeting in the postseason for the first time since the fabled 2012 quarterfinal series, both teams have changed immensely. Philadelphia is in the playoffs for the first time in two years, while Pittsburgh has as many Stanley Cup championships in that span.
In merely a few short weeks, the Flyers have managed to almost play themselves right out of playoff contention. Late February saw them climb to the top of the Metropolitan Division with a 12-game point streak. Since then, it seemed as if the Ides of March have struck.
During a five-game losing streak that came to a close on Saturday, there have been many questions that come to mind about the Flyers’ play. One of the many things plaguing the team’s performance is the inability to score on the power play, and that was no different even in a winning effort on Saturday.
As 2018 begins and 2017 rides off into the sunset, it’s time to take a look back at some of the highlights in the past year of Flyers hockey.