Nothing new happened for the Flyers tonight. After the 2nd period, the Flyers held a 3-1 lead. However, just 1:46 into the 3rd, the game was tied at 3.
The Flyers for the fourth game in the last six blew a two-goal lead. For some reason, this team has forgot how to play with a lead and win a game. To make matters worse, the Flyers blew a two-goal lead and then a goal lead late in the 3rd tonight. The Flyers, now on a 8-game losing streak, have fallen completely out of contention in the East and need a change somewhere to get going again.
However, one thing is for sure, this team has forgotten how to lead and forgotten how to win. Two things a team has to do to be successful. Here are 3 more takeaways from the Flyers 5-4 OTL to the Penguins…
Shot Blocking
Something the Flyers have done extremely well this season has been shot blocking. The most shots either of the Flyers goalies has faced this year was 41 until tonight.
Brian Elliott faced 52 shots tonight. Most of the shots came from in tight. Elliott gave up 4 goals from below the hash marks and that was the difference in the game.
Enough said pic.twitter.com/zmv0dMyAlV
— Brandon J. Sommermann (@B_Sommermann) November 28, 2017
The Flyers struggled with clearing the net and pushing the Penguins to the sides. No team can win with so many quality scoring chances from the low slot, where the Penguins took advantage of the Flyers tonight.
Goalless Drought Over
With 4:55 left in the 2nd, Konecny scored for the first time in 13 games. He ended the scoring drought not off his stick, but off his hard-work and grit.
Off shot from the point by Brandon Manning, the puck hit Konecny in the chest area and tricked by Murray for the goal.
Brandon Manning's blast bounces off of Travis Konecny's knee into the net! pic.twitter.com/WDXVX8RYFM
— Sons of Penn (@SonsofPenn) November 28, 2017
Konecny earned the goal with his hard work during the offensive zone pressure. It was his play behind the net that set up Manning at the point for the shot on net. He has been the most deserving Flyers of late to deserve a goal.
Good Old Faithful
With Andrew MacDonald returning to the lineup, the Flyers got back to their usual defense pairings. Robert Hagg, who has been paired with Provorov since MacDonald’s injury, was back with Shayne Gostisbehere. And, Ivan Provorov got his old partner back in the returning MacDonald.
Before MacDonald’s injury, Provorov & MacDonald were the Flyers best and top unit. A top unit pairing is something the Flyers have not had since MacDonald’s injury. In MacDonald’s absence, Hagg played extremely well with Provorov on the Flyers top unit. However, one defense unit doesn’t win you games. A balanced defense core and three solid pairings do. Another positive for the returning MacDonald.
With MacDonald returning to the top unit with Provorov, it had a trickle down effect to the lineup. Robert Hagg was reunited with his usual partner Gostisbehere. Gostisbehere and Hagg played extremely well together at the beginning of the year. That chemistry showed tonight with the unit reunited.
However, the returning MacDonald is a step in the right direction to the Flyers finding the solid defense they had to start the season.
Result : Flyers 4 – Penguins 5 – OTL
Record : 8 – 9 – 7
Next Game : 11/28 San Jose Sharks, Philadelphia, PA
Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via AP Images
