PHILADELPHIA – Three games, two wins and just four goals.
That, according to coach John Tortorella, is not a sustainable formula for success.
After Saturday afternoon’s 3-0 loss to Boston at the Wells Fargo Center, Tortorella confirmed his team still needs to get on the scoreboard more often.
Put it this way: The quartet of Owen Tippett, Morgan Frost, Tyson Foerster and Joel Farabee has a grand total of five goals after 12 games.
On top of that, rookie hotshot Matvei Michkov has yet to find the net the past four games.
And the shot totals have not been exactly overwhelming either. Saturday’s game produced 20. In the previous three games, the totals were 26, 19 and 21.
“There’s no question, offensively we’re still not there,” Tortorella said. “We’ve done such a good job in the middle of the ice and in front of our goalie I think we’ve defended very well there. I still don’t think we’re there offensively.”
As for Michkov’s bump in the road, the coach tried to explain what the problem is.
“I think ‘Mich’ has a tough time understanding. . .he likes to play on the weak side,” the coach said. “On the open ice instead of supporting the play in the corner where there are two guys and we’re outnumbered and he’s waiting for the puck over here. So there’s definitely more work we need to do as far as entries, as far as support and with offensive zone pressure.”
Making the Flyers’ job that much tougher was a situation seven minutes into the game when starting goaltender Samuel Ersson had to leave the game with what was later announced by general manager Daniel Briere as a lower-body injury. No timeline for recovery was made available.
With Ersson out of the game, backup Aleksei Kolosov took over and gave up two of the three Boston markers before the last one was scored into an empty net.
“I thought he fought,” Tortorella said of Kolosov. “Hell of a spot.”
Through an interpreter, Kolosov said he felt more comfortable as the game went along.
“It always gives you confidence when you make saves,” he said. “It helps you get into the game.”
Is he ready to go if Ersson takes a while to recover?
“I feel confident but whatever the coach decides,” Kolosov said. “That’s the coach’s decision. The communication (with defensemen) has been established but I still need to work on that every game.”
The first goal came at 13:28 of the first period.
Kolosov was late sliding over to defend Morgan Geekie’s short put-back shot off an end boards rebound at 13:28.
In the second period, Brad Marchand made a strong move behind the Flyer net to elude Rasmus Ristolainen’s check. Then he spotted Justin Brazeau zooming in from the point for a one-timer past Kolosov.
Marchand scored an empty-net goal in the closing minutes for the three-goal margin.
Meanwhile, Boston’s defense looked much sounder than it did in the rout by the Hurricanes the other night. Goalie Joonas Korpisalo, who gave up only one of the two goals (the other was an empty-netter) in the Tuesday night game at Boston, handled whatever the Flyers could throw at him.
It’s the second time the Flyers have been shut out this season, both of the blankings coming on home ice.
The Flyer forwards know they have to get it in gear.
“I think right now we’re just trying to sustain some offense,” Sean Couturier said. “We’re getting chances but a lot of one-and-dones. We have to find a way to get in another gear here.”
Frost feels the same way. He’s still looking for his first goal of the season.
“You look at the shot totals after the game, we’re not getting as many as we would like to,” Frost said. “But every game we seem to have a fair amount of grade-A chances but they’re just not going in for us right now. It’s frustrating for everyone. It’s hard to win games when you’re only scoring one or two goals.”
>Short shots
The Flyers get back to action on Tuesday when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes. . .Egor Zamula and Nick Deslauriers were healthy scratches. . .For the season,.. Scott Laughton centered a new third line with Bobby Brink and Farabee. . .Defenseman Erik Johnson played in his 997th NHL game. Associate head coach Brad Shaw said he’s proud to have been a part of Johnson’s storied career, which includes a Stanley Cup with Colorado a few years ago. “I take a ton of pride in that,” Shaw said. “It’s an incredible accomplishment. It’s a real testament to his commitment.”
