(Flyerdelphia/Kate Frese)
It may seem hard to believe, but the Flyers have just eight games left in their regular season.
These eight games will be the ultimate test of whether or not the Flyers' season will continue. They've been able to alternate between a wild card spot and the outside looking in for the past several weeks, and will get a definitive answer as the season enters its final two weeks.
But as the Orange and Black continue their stretch run, one factor will be the density of the schedule. Of those eight games, six will come in back-to-back sets — including a brutal four games in five days set to end the regular season.
It's no secret that back-to-back games can take a toll on players — look no further than last week, when the gassed Flyers melted down late in the third period of Tuesday's 3-2 loss to Columbus, after playing in Brooklyn the previous day. They've looked tired in Saturday's game against Arizona and Thursday's win over Colorado (though they mustered enough energy in the third period to win the game), though a road trip spanning three time zones in less than a week doesn't help matters, either.
Also working against the Flyers is their lack of the capable Michal Neuvirth. Back-to-backs are often said to be toughest on the goalkeepers — after all, they're on the ice for all 60-plus minutes of game time — and with Neuvirth out of commission for the rest of the regular season with a knee injury, the Flyers haven't much choice but to rely on Steve Mason to carry the rest of the workload.
Following Neuvirth's injury, the Orange and Black had no choice but to bring up Anthony Stolarz to serve as Mason's backup. Stolarz has been no stranger to the injury call-up over the course of the season — he had previously been called up on three separate occasions — but hasn't seen any actual game action. That's very likely to change, given the double-edged sword that is giving Mason some rest for a potential playoff run.
Sure, there's the chance that Stolarz can hit the ground running and make the transition from the American League to The Show look as seamless as possible. Giving him time will be necessary to avoid running Mason ragged — though it's nothing that he hasn't experienced before throughout his Flyers career. There's no doubt that Stolarz has looked sharp in his second professional season, but he is still a big question mark for the big club.
In addition to the density of the Flyers' schedule, the opponents they face will prove difficult as well. They close out their season series with the NHL-leading Washington Capitals this week, and have four games against other teams in the playoff mix (two against the red-hot Pittsburgh Penguins, and one each against the New York Islanders and Detroit Red Wings). They do have three matchups against the lowly Winnipeg Jets, Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs, but considering the Orange and Black's efforts against lesser teams over the course of this season, those will prove difficult as well.
One note that's worth pointing out, on the other side of the coin, is that the Flyers aren't the only tired team this time of year. All 29 other teams are in the stretch runs of their seasons, and it's been a long and grueling season for all of them. The Flyers are a tiring and fatiguing team, but the remainder of their opponents are tiring and fatiguing as well.
Despite several hiccups, the Flyers have still been one of the Eastern Conference's hottest teams over the past month. But the future of their season still hangs in the balance, and the Orange and Black will have no choice but to play fatigued hockey if they want it to continue.
Rob Riches is a contributor to Flyerdelphia and Sports Talk Philly. Follow him on Twitter @Riches61
