Oliver Wahlstrom
For the third time in eight days, the Flyers and New York Islanders face off. It was be the second time on Long Island. For the Flyers, a loss will be their 13th straight, setting a new franchise record for the longest winless streak.
On one night, the Flyers made it a game late in the second, then had an early third-period goal dash their hopes. The next, they carried the play and took a lead into the late stages of the third before finding a way to lose another game.
The Islanders were able to get the game tied and force overtime late in the third. Eventually in the shootout, both teams went nine rounds before the winning goal was scored, giving the Islanders a 4-3 win over the Flyers to extend the losing streak to nine games.
The Flyers’ streak hit eight games on Monday with the 4-1 loss on Long Island. Meanwhile, the Islanders are just starting to make up some ground in games played, and the distance between them and the Flyers is rapidly decreasing.
The Flyers had two power plays in the first period and couldn’t generate more than one shot on goal. The Islanders weren’t cashing in either, but eventually took advantage of a few of their opportunities, getting a 4-1 victory to hand the Flyers their eighth straight loss.
The Flyers look to avoid making that an eight-game losing streak as they take on another team struggling to find its footing this season. The New York Islanders are the opponent for the next two nights for a home-and-home, starting Monday night on the road for the Flyers.
Losses are losses at this stage of the season. Whether it’s 9-0, or 6-1, or 2-1 in overtime, they all hurt the same in the standings. It’s a missed opportunity at two points that you had when the night began. But in this game, when the Flyers did deliver the effort and executed better for almost the entire 60 minutes, two glaring mistakes cost them, and this time, they didn’t have the answers to make a couple of mistakes change the result.
Anthony Beauvillier got a wraparound chance and scored with 1:19 remaining in overtime to hand the Flyers a 2-1 loss to the Islanders on Monday night at Wells Fargo Center.
Within 10 minutes, the Islanders opened up a three-goal lead of their own, and added a fourth goal with under five minutes to play. That was all they needed, as a late first-period goal by the Flyers was all they could get in a 6-1 defeat to the Islanders on Saturday night.
The Flyers did get the outcome they needed in the last game, as a late goal propelled them to victory. That was a step in the right direction, but it has to continue. They will face the Islanders again on Saturday night, closing out a four-game road trip.
