Flyers Searching for Consistency and Goals

In losing Wednesday night’s game 1-0 to the team ranked last overall in the National Hockey League, the Philadelphia Flyers missed a golden opportunity to firmly entrench themselves in the #6 spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race.  Coming off of a 3-0 victory over the Calgary Flames Monday night, Philadelphia continued their schizophrenic ways of looking like a “contender” one game, and strongly resembling a “pretender” the next.

Squandering many good scoring chances, the Flyers were shutout by Jeff Deslauriers and an Edmonton team that has the third-worst ranked defense in the league.  And unfortunately for Philly goaltender Michael Leighton, it was the second straight time that the Flyer offense has posted a goose egg in support of their backup netminder.  Philadelphia was shutout by Vesa Toskala and the Toronto Maple Leafs in Leighton’s last start, a 4-0 whitewashing January 14th.  Toronto is the team that owns the distinction of having the worst ranked defense in the NHL.  It seems a fair enough assumption that this Philadelphia team, though boasting a 18-7-2 record against teams in non-playoff positions, exhibits a propensity for playing down to the level of their opponent.

The loss to the Oilers featured Mike Richards chipping the puck wide of an open net when he had possession behind Deslauriers in the blue paint;  snake-bitten winger Simon Gagne deflect a point shot off of the post;  and Scott Hartnell deflect another point shot off the post.  These were hands-down the best scoring chances of the night for either team, other than the game’s only goal.  That goal came off the stick of ex-Flyer Ryan Potulny on the power play with just 16 seconds remaining in regulation.  With Philadelphia trying to kill off Darroll Powe’s high sticking minor, it appeared the game would head into overtime.  But Sam Gagner made a beautiful pass across the crease to Potulny, who had gained just enough separation from Richards, for the open net tap in.  Had they made it to the extra period the Flyers would have been guaranteed at least one valuable point, but as has been the case far too often this season, the Orange and Black came away with nothing to show for their troubles.

In addition to the above-mentioned failed Philadelphia scoring chances, the team’s so-called snipers with the huge, long-term contracts took turns pelting the Oiler crest on the front of Deslauriers’ jersey.  Danny Briere (in the third year of an 8-year, $52 million deal) and Gagne (in the fourth year of a 5-year, $25 million pact) have got to contribute more to the offense.  Briere has just one goal and one assist in his last 7 games, and Gagne has only been able to muster no goals and three assists in his last 8 games.  Gagne has netted just 6 goals in 31 games for the season.  Streaky goal-scorer Jeff Carter has gone cold again after looking like he was finally coming around after a shaky start to the year.  After a 6 goals in 5 game stretch, Carter has gone goalless in the past 4 games, despite registering 18 shots on goal.  He has recorded just one assist over those four games.  Even Richards has hit the skids with only two goals and an assist in his last 6.

Richards has always seemed more like a number two center at best and could possibly be being counted on to do too much offensively.  His point-per-game pace of the past two seasons appears to be the top end of the captain’s production potential.  Carter, on the other hand, has shown that he can do much more in the goal-scoring department.  With 22 goals in his first 55 games this season, Carter looks to be headed for a final goal total more on the lines of his 29 of two years ago than his 46 last season.

Losing out in the both the Dion Phaneuf and Ilya Kovalchuk sweepstakes, general manager Paul Holmgren has his work cut out for him in the time leading up to the trade deadline if he wants this team to have any chance at not only making a run in the postseason, but also maybe even just to qualify for the playoffs.  The point(s) lost Wednesday in Edmonton could definitely come back to haunt the team when it’s all said and done.

Taking a Flyer:  With the loss to the Oilers, the Flyers blew a chance to complete an Alberta sweep for the first time since 1996, coincidentally, the only time the team has beaten both Calgary and Edmonton in a trip to Alberta.

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