Morgan Frost
A pair of goals by James van Riemsdyk paced the Flyers offense, as they claimed back-to-back wins for the first time since Oct. 27 and 28, defeating the Arizona Coyotes, 5-3, on Saturday night.
The Flyers losing streak reached 10 games with another lifeless, boring, and uninspired effort. That’s beyond concerning for a team that should be prepared for much more change and uncertainty over the next few weeks if nothing changes.
The Tampa Bay Lightning return to Philadelphia, closing out the season series and looking for a sweep on Sunday night.
Alain Vigneault’s postgame press conference lasted about two and a half minutes. But it was his tone and clearly visible frustration that told the story. The Flyers coach and his staff may have received a vote of confidence of sorts from Fletcher just a day earlier, but the veteran bench boss knows when the ship is sinking and he becomes the first guy on the chopping block.
It wasn’t a result that was as out-of-hand as the others recently, but it was a defeat all the same, as the Flyers took the loss for the seventh straight game, 4-1, to the Rangers.
Fletcher leaned on the difficulty of the team’s schedule and injuries over the course of the first 20 games of the season, placing more emphasis on a few early-season successes and less on the noticeable struggles the team has had over the last couple of weeks.
Less than 24 hours after a blowout loss in Tampa Bay, the Flyers face off on Wednesday night against the Florida Panthers.
The Flyers are proving that this roster is not equipped to get the job done. Maybe that has to do with the system, maybe that’s talent, but if they wanted to avoid another purge, things needed to improve. For everyone’s sake, it had better start on Wednesday, because this is going to become an ugly season quickly, and it’s only Thanksgiving.
The Flyers are having to survive the opposition more than driving play. They clearly have flaws in their play, and it’s fair to wonder how much longer they can go without addressing them.
Before the puck drops on the Flyers 2021-22 season, their busy offseason and several new faces bring about a number of storylines. Let’s take a look at 10 storylines that are worth watching this season for the Flyers.