(Kate Frese/Sports Talk Philly)
By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 
After firing 55 shots on John Gibson in Anaheim on Sunday and still dropping another game via the shootout, a return home was not a welcome one for the Flyers.
A 5-2 loss to the Rangers was a flat-out embarrassment for a team that has opened the new year as bad as they ended the old one. As a result, the Flyers are now 1-5-2 since their 10-game winning streak ended with just one point gained in the standings in their last five games.
Here are 10 Postgame Points from Flyers-Rangers.
- The Rangers handed the Flyers a 3-2 loss in the first meeting of the season in a game that was similarly played, the score often resembled a more competitive game than was being played. Yes, the Flyers turned up the level of play in the second half of the first period. They played an overall better second period where one mistake cost them. The third was one team completely dismantling the other, even with the Flyers scoring two goals. The Rangers scored four, one into an empty net, and otherwise outplayed the Flyers.
- The Rangers first goal of the game came on a 2-on-1. So did the fourth. The second goal for the Rangers essentially became a 2-on-1 with the way Chris Kreider whipped past Michael Del Zotto and Radko Gudas. Every time the Rangers scored on an odd-man rush, a defenseman was caught up the ice from a previous play. It was Brandon Manning the first goal. Shayne Gostisbehere got caught after a scoring chance on the fourth goal. The Rangers score half of their goals on other teams mistakes. The Flyers have now played two mistake-filled games against the Rangers.
- Call it deja vu. In November, the Flyers faced Henrik Lundqvist after a 6-1 shelling against the Penguins. He made 40 saves against the Flyers two days later. On Tuesday night, Lundqvist was hit with four goals allowed against Buffalo. He made another 30 saves in Wednesday's win. Lundqvist doesn't string bad games together, so facing him immediately after one is a death sentence. The timing of those games coming right before trips to Philadelphia has been impeccable.
- It's time for Dave Hakstol to make some changes to the lineup. Why Nick Cousins is scratched is still a mystery. Separate Claude Giroux and Jake Voracek. Move Michael Raffl back to the third line. Do something. Because what was working three weeks ago isn't working now. And yes, by the Flyers take the ice again on Saturday, it will be three weeks since the streak ended.
- Steve Mason has not played bad during the extensive stretch of play — Wednesday was his 22nd start in 24 games — but this was not a good game for him either. Mason needed to stop Kreider's goal, which sure felt like the dagger then, and otherwise just showed the signs of fatigue that he denied leading up to the game. He needs a break, simple as that. Michal Neuvirth should probably get the start in goal on Saturday.
- Which makes you wonder, Neuvirth comes back and Mason suddenly isn't on top of his game? The extensive workload hasn't helped, but it does seem like Mason doesn't play as well when the 1-1A goalie tandem returns. It's an interesting quandary.
- While Mason's poor play on Wednesday was understood, the Bronx cheers directed toward him were completely uncalled for. Yes, Mason wasn't very good at all, but neither were the rest of the team. This was a collective loss.
- Voracek had both goals for the Flyers. While getting a couple to break up what sure looked like it was going to be another shutout was all well and good, the Flyers depth scoring that was so prominent in the win streak has disappeared. Look at the Rangers scorers as a perfect example. Two goals from Kevin Hayes. Two goals from Michael Grabner. A goal from Chris Kreider. All three play in the Rangers top-six, but there were chances for J.T. Miller, Brandon Pirri and Marek Hrivek. That's a third-liner and two fourth-liners…
- Speaking of bottom-six players, the Flyers had the likes of Dale Weise, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Chris VandeVelde and Boyd Gordon in this game way too much for a team needing to find the net. Those four players have combined for nine goals this season. For perspective, Cousins and Roman Lyubimov — Lyubimov was sent to the Phantoms as a paper move to help the Flyers free up enough cap space to bring Neuvirth off injured reserve — have a combined seven goals this season.
- Part of the problem with the Flyers right now is the usage of players. Travis Konecny played 11:35 in the game. VandeVelde played 11:07, Bellemare played 11:40, Weise played 15:17 and Matt Read played 15:03. That fits the same category as Roman Lyubimov playing seven minutes of ice time in a game.
Bottom Line
Well, Ron Hextall may have called the Flyers doom and gloom of late a week ago. "We can't give back the ground we've gained," the GM said. The Flyers have lost all five games since Hextall said that and are 1-5-2 in the last eight games. The win came in a shootout.
This is a team in dire need of change. There has been too much of the status quo lately, and while you can't justify drastic change after one loss, especially after winning 10 straight games, you can justify it when everything seems to be going against you.
The obvious change will probably come in net. Lines may get shuffled, D-pairs adjusted, the Flyers may even alter the lineup with the pending return of Mark Streit or inserting Cousins or Lyubimov back into the lineup. But whatever it is, the Flyers need to change things up and have some form of competitive play this weekend. The Flyers opponents this weekend are the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Columbus Blue Jackets. Given the way things have been lately for the Flyers, they've got a rough weekend ahead.
