Flyers-Red Wings: Postgame Points

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

The streak lives on. Brayden Schenn's overtime goal brought the Flyers winning streak to nine games, their longest since 1995. 

Schenn's winner was the only tally in this one, a game dominated by goaltending. But in the end, with the winning ways on their side lately, the Flyers found a way to claim victory again. 

Here are 10 Postgame Points from Flyers-Red Wings. 

1. What a weekend it's been for Brayden Schenn. First he claims a hat trick on Saturday, with the final two goals coming late in the third period to give the Flyers the lead and the eventual win in No. 8 on the streak. On Sunday, it was evident in the early stages of the third period that the first team to budge was going to be the one to fall. It was only going to take on goal. Schenn had it, and that has the Flyers on "Cloud 9."
2. Schenn's play on the game-winning goal is great, but the pass from Ivan Provorov is equally impressive. He takes the drop pass from Schenn and is able to freeze everyone with the return feed. If you stop the replay in just the right spot, you can actually see his stick start to flex as if he's taking a shot, only to dish back down low. That was enough to completely stop Jonathan Ericsson in his tracks and force Jimmy Howard to go all-or-nothing on the save attempt on Schenn.
3. I've been hesitant to say this in the last few games mainly because you don't want to build something up so high so early, but Ivan Provorov may very well be the Flyers best defenseman already. He has certainly been their best during the nine-game streak. There is a poise and overall calmness about Provorov and his confidence is at an all-time high. The Flyers have a stud on the blue line with this kid.
4. Speaking of kids, how about Anthony Stolarz? In just his second start in 15 games, the rookie stopped all 28 shots he faced for a shutout win. Playing time has been limited for the backup, but he's looked good and comfortable in net. In particular, this was a good test for Stolarz on the back end of a back-to-back in a tough building on the road. He passed the test.
5. In the pattern of all nine games being different, this was probably the most strategic game the Flyers have had to play on the nine-game stretch. Every play was methodical and thought out and needed to be executed to perfection, especially down the stretch and you saw that.
6. With that in mind, the overtime is very much about possession at 3-on-3. The Red Wings had the puck on the attack for maybe 10 seconds, enough to put one shot toward Stolarz. The rest was all Flyers and the goal was coming.
7. The Flyers have played nine games in 15 days, including seven in the first 11 days of December. They won them all. They get a much-deserved two days off from a game to start the week.
8. Given the workload, you could see the Flyers starting to tire out as the game wore on. But make note that the Flyers are now 6-1-1 on the back end of back-to-backs. That's an insane record.
9. Steve Mason had four shutouts last season and Michal Neuvirth had three. Anthony Stolarz has one shutout this season in the AHL on Nov. 2 and had no shutouts last season in the AHL. In fact, his last shutout before November was on Dec. 19, 2014. So naturally, Stolarz is the first Flyers goalie to pick up a shutout.
10. Head coach Dave Hakstol said it best after the game. "Guys are playing hard and guys are having fun. It's fun to come to the rink when it's a busy portion of the schedule and you're playing pretty well."

Bottom Line

This is quite a run for the Flyers. This team is incredibly hot at the moment and it's fun to watch. 

For a city that watched the Eagles fall again earlier on Sunday and are dealing with rebuilds from the Sixers and Phillies, the Flyers are the ray of light. If this nine-game streak has proven anything its that they will certainly be in the mix with other playoff teams in the spring. 

That said, the Flyers are building in their own right. For right now, the Flyers have Shayne Gostisbehere — who missed Sunday's game with a hand injury — and Travis Konecny and Ivan Provorov. And there are more coming. This is a team very much in building mode themselves with enough talent and plenty of character to be making the playoffs. 

That's a nice place to be all things considered, especially with the rest of the Philadelphia sports landscape looking bleak. 

So for the Orange and Black, it's spirits high as they head to Colorado in search for 10.