The Flyers, sagging since their COVID-19 shutdown, start important road trip vs. the Rangers
With a shortened season, there's little margin for error, making the Flyers' four-game road trip critical. They face the Rangers on Monday in Madison Square Garden.
Is it too early to say the Flyers need to start playing with desperation in their game?
Not really.
There are just 31 games left in the abbreviated season, and the Flyers are three points out of a playoff spot with less than two months left on the schedule.
Since restarting their schedule after having four games postponed because of the COVID-19 protocol, the Flyers have struggled to get into a rhythm.
They were 8-3-2, including a 7-4 win in Washington, when their season was delayed for 11 days. Since then, they are 5-6-1, including three home defeats to the Capitals.
The Flyers (13-9-3), fifth in the eight-team East Division, have fallen three points out of a playoff spot as the 56-game season approaches the midpoint, and they need to get rolling this week as they play four road games — two against the Rangers, and two vs. the Islanders.
They start their road trip Monday at Madison Square Garden against the sixth-place Rangers (11-12-3). The Flyers are a combined 3-0-1 this season against the Rangers and Islanders.
Special teams
The Flyers’ much-maligned power play has made progress lately. Ditto their penalty kill.
The power play has goals in five of the last six games, and was 4 for 10 over the last three contests. The Flyers did a good job of staying out of the penalty box during their miserable 1-3 homestand, and their PK was 6 for 7 in those four games.
» READ MORE: Slumping goalie Carter Hart trying to get his game in order against Rangers
The Flyers’ power play will be challenged by the Rangers, who have the league;’s third-best PK (87,1% success rate). In their last 10 games, the Rangers’ PK is 23 for 24,
Kreider sizzling
Yes, Artemi Panarin is extremely dangerous, but the Flyers will also have to find a way to contain Chris Kreider, the sizzling lefty winger who is tied for the league lead with 10 goals since Feb. 13. He has 10 goals over his last 11 games, including a hat trick in a 4-3 loss to the Flyers on Feb. 24.
Kreider has 14 goals in 26 games.
Ghost story
Speaking of hot players ...
Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere has five goals over his last 10 games, including three in his last five contests.
The player known as Ghost was goalless in his first nine games. He had a goal and an assist to help the Flyers defeat the Rangers, 4-3, on Feb. 24 and move into third place. In that game, Claude Giroux had three assists in his first game back from the COVID-19 protocol list.
Though it’s a longshot, Gostisbehere is making a bid to be on the Flyers’ protected list for Seattle’s expansion draft. The Flyers will likely go with the option that allows them to protect three defensemen. Ivan Provorov and Travis Sanheim are locks, and Phil Myers is favored to get the third spot, but he has struggled this season.
» READ MORE: Flyers center Nolan Patrick slowly getting closer to form following a lost season
Breakaways
Carter Hart (6-6-3) will aim for his first win in his last four decisions. ... It appears left winger Michael Raffl will return to the lineup after missing four games with an injured right hand. Raffl will address the media before the game. ... Sean Couturier has points in 12 of his last 13 games, including the last four. ... The Flyers have allowed at least three goals in 13 of their last 16 games., including their last five matchups.