Flyers winger Wade Allison working his way back into form following injury

BUFFALO — After missing more than a month with an oblique muscle strain and a hip pointer, winger Wade Allison returned to the lineup in early December and gradually worked his way back into feeling 100 percent from a cardio standpoint.

But given his injury history, Allison understood that it was going to take some time to feel mentally comfortable with the pace and intensity of the game.

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“There’s that mental time period where you have to adjust and you have to understand that you are OK,” Allison said. “It’s hurt for a month, a month and a bit, right? So you’re always kind of shielding that.”

After a game or two, Allison said he was able to shed that mindset and get back to playing his gritty, hard-nosed style of play. Now, eight games removed from his injury layoff, Allison is skating primarily on the third line alongside Kevin Hayes and Scott Laughton and is looking to make a positive impact on a nightly basis.

Laughton has been pleased with the chemistry among the trio, as he plays a similar game on the forecheck as Allison does. Together, they work to get the puck to Hayes, whose bread-and-butter is his playmaking ability.

“I’ve really enjoyed playing with [Allison],” Laughton said. “Really simple with it. Makes the right play and is always going north, so a lot of O zone time with him and spending time on the forecheck. But he brings a ton of energy to our group and a good guy all around. So it’s good to see him back and getting to the level where he needs to be at.”

Flyers coach John Tortorella noted that it’s been challenging to get players like Allison and Hayes into a “flow” when the team is taking lots of penalties, seeing as neither player plays on the penalty kill. Additionally, Allison isn’t on the power play. So while ice time may be harder to come by in certain games, Allison is doing his best to always stay ready.

“I don’t think his game is by any means great, but I still think he’s working at it,” Tortorella said. “Before he got hurt, he was playing pretty well. And it all stemmed from just being a dog on a bone, going after pucks and pushing it ahead. I think he’s trying that way and I think he’ll find his game.”

On Thursday, Allison notched his first goal since the injury in the Flyers’ 6-2 victory against the Arizona Coyotes. Hayes helped force the turnover in the neutral zone, then Allison finished the rest of the job, driving to the net, shooting the puck on Coyotes goalie Karel Vejmelka, then collecting his own rebound for the score. Allison has four goals, one assist, and a plus-7 rating in 22 games this season.

“It’s nice for me to be able to chip in and to help them out,” Allison said. “So just continue to work and hopefully continue to get lucky.”

In the Flyers’ 6-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday night, goalie Carter Hart conceded a season-high six goals, all of which were not his fault alone. But for Hart, Sunday was filled with lows — a giveaway behind the net on the penalty kill and a shorthanded goal off a faceoff in the second period — and highs, including a big save on Leafs center Auston Matthews halfway through the third period.

Ultimately, Hart acknowledged that he needs to take the loss in stride and understand where he fell short.

“Any time a team scores six goals, you’ve got to look back and review and see you can do better,” Hart said. “For me, obviously, I’ve got to find a way to make one or two more saves to keep our team in it. But I mean, it happens. They’re a good team. But just got to move on from it and be ready for the next one.”

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Sunday night marked Hart’s second game back from a concussion sustained on Dec. 23 against the Carolina Hurricanes. He has picked up a win and a loss, posting an .862 save percentage through those games. Most importantly, Hart said he feels fine and is happy to be back on the active roster.

“I’ve played two games now since I’ve been back, so I feel good,” Hart said. “Body-wise, feel good. Just take things one day at a time here and just keep working.”

Goalie Samuel Ersson (3-0-0, .905 save percentage) will start against the Buffalo Sabres on Monday at 7 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia). ... Tortorella said that there will be no changes to the lineup from Sunday night’s game against the Maple Leafs. This indicates that defenseman Tony DeAngelo, who was benched during the second period on Sunday, will play.