Another power outage stymies Flyers in 1-0 loss to Wild

If there’s a common theme to the Flyers’ four shutout losses this season, it’s probably a lack of power on their power play.
After going 0 for 3 in Saturday night’s 1-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild at the Wells Fargo Center, the Flyers are now 0 for 16 in those aforementioned defeats.

It’s not like the Flyers aren’t getting chances. There seems to be plenty of those. They just can’t finish.

In the last five games, the Flyers have converted only one power play in 16 opportunities.

The Flyers entered the game ranked eighth in the NHL on the power play (20.8 percent).

But when it comes to converting in close games, the numbers seem to drop off.

“It will come,’’ Wayne Simmonds vowed after the Flyers failed for the seventh time in eight tries to win back-to-back games this season.

“Every single year you guys (media) do the same thing.

“We’ve been trying different things. It’s up to us to execute on the ice and put the puck in the back of the net.” – Wayne Simmonds

Goalie Brian Elliott turned in his second straight strong performance but was the hard luck loser.

The only goal of the game came at 1:08 of the third period. A Matt Dumba point shot was partially deflected to the end boards. It popped out the opposite side and Jason Zucker pounced on it, beating a sliding Elliott to the near post.

Philadelphia would take 32 shots for the contest but Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk was up to the challenge.

The two teams complete their season series on Tuesday night in St. Paul, Minn.

Maybe the Flyers can get their power play untracked by then.

“They (the Wild) close time and space pretty quick,’’ Shayne Gostisbehere said. “It’s a really boring game. They play a sit-back system. Bring the puck up, they chip it in and we have to break out. It’s back and forth. Those are teams you run into. . .you have to adjust and make plays in a different way.’’

Coach Dave Hakstol agreed it was a night when scoring chances were at a premium.

“We didn’t get to enough rebounds,’’ he said. “When you don’t get one (a goal), you probably want to get a little bit more traffic. And find a way to get one of those greasy ones in there.’’

Overall, the Flyers need more scoring from their secondary lines. The top line has registered 60 points, the other 11 forwards combined just 46.

“At some point you kind of have to force it into the net,’’ said Simmonds, a second-liner who hasn’t scored in nine games. “Just drive the net, have all three guys whackin’ at it. Something’s got to break. We have to work a little bit harder, a little bit smarter and hopefully we get it going on Tuesday.’’

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About Wayne Fish 2387 Articles
Wayne Fish has been covering the Flyers since 1976, a stint which includes 18 Stanley Cup Finals, four Winter Olympics and numerous other international events.

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