Flyers Losing Streak Reaches 10 with Shutout Loss to Bruins

(Kate Frese/SB Nation)

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

Just when you think it's rock bottom for the Flyers, the bottom drops even more.

The losing streak hit 10 games on Saturday with another lifeless and lacking performance in a 3-0 loss to the Boston Bruins, the Flyers sixth shutout loss of the season.

The Flyers got an early power play in the first just 50 seconds into the game, but looked out of sync and weren't able to take advantage.

Wayne Simmonds provided a spark for a sparse crowd that had more than a few Boston fans among it, as he dropped the gloves in a spirited bout with Kevan Miller.

The Bruins got things started where it counts though. Off a Flyers turnover at the Boston blue line, Ryan Spooner got the puck and sped away on a breakaway, beating Brian Elliott through the five hole to give the Bruins the 1-0 lead.

The Bruins got a power play late in the first as well, as the first featured a few small scrums and shoving matches, but the Flyers were able to kill that off.

Shots at the end of the first period were 15-8 Bruins.

Things only got worse in the second.

The Flyers needlessly iced the puck and on the ensuing face-off, David Pastrnak got the puck in the slot and scored to make it 2-0 with his 13th goal of the season. 

Just over four minutes later, noted Flyer killer Brad Marchand took things from bad to worse for the Flyers with a goal on a rebound to make it 3-0.

The period ended with several man-advantage opportunities for both sides. The Flyers got a power play first, but lost it as Shayne Gostisbehere took out his frustration on Marchand with an open-ice cross-check that nullified the power play. They went back to the power play shortly after play returned to 5-on-5 and this time scored as Claude Giroux finally beat Tuukka Rask.

But on a losing streak like this, essentially nothing goes your way. That happened again as the Bruins challenged for goalie interference and the goal was disallowed with Simmonds near the crease, though no notable contact was made that would have changed the end result of the goal. The Flyers went to the locker room even more frustrated as fans grew more irate with, well, everything.

Shots were 23-18 Bruins after two periods.

The third period followed the same tune as Tuesday's game: lifeless. Aside from a disallowed goal for Boston on a high stick, the Bruins skated to the win with ease as the Flyers lacked any form of energy or emotion.

Rask finished the game with 28 saves in the shutout win. Elliott stopped 24 of 27 shots in the loss.

The Flyers 10-game losing streak ties the longest in franchise history, dating back to 2008.

The Flyers now head on the road, where they open a stretch of games in Western Canada with the Calgary Flames on Monday night at 9 p.m.

Box Score

Scoring Summary

1st Period

• BOS Ryan Spooner (1) (Noel Acciari) 14:30

2nd Period

• BOS David Pastrnak (13) (Brad Marchand) 6:38
• BOS Marchand (9) (Charlie McAvoy, Pastrnak) 10:44

3rd Period

• No Scoring

Game Statistics