Whether they’re playing legit contender Dallas one afternoon or bottom-feeder Chicago the next, the Flyers are still finding ways to lose games.
Sunday afternoon’s 7-4 loss extended their winless streak to five games (0-4-1) and left them with just one victory in their last 11 games.
The Blackhawks have the second fewest points in the NHL but had no trouble scoring against the listless Philadelphia defense at the United Center in Chicago.
Philadelphia fell to 1-10-1 in the second half of back-to-back games this season.
Chicago used a five-on-three power play to take the lead for good in the second period.
Ryan Donato scored twice, both on the power play, to help give Chicago a 6-4 lead going into the second break.
After a Tyler Bertuzzi goal at 2:37, Donato struck while the Flyers’ Travis Sanheim and Matvei Michkov sat in the penalty box. Donato connected at 6:43. Then, after a Travis Konecny goal at 10:14 (his second in two games) cut the margin to 5-4, Donato struck again, this time at 13:27 when his shot eluded goaltender Ivan Fedotov.
Each team notched three goals in what amounted to a pond hockey first period.
Of particular note, Matvei Michkov registered a pair of assists to hit the 50-point mark for this season, the first time a Flyer rookie has achieved that plateau in this century.
Also, a goal by Travis Sanheim at 8:13 broke a 40-game drought. His long shot hit goaltender Spencer Knight, then trickled across the line.
“Yeah, it’s been awhile,” Sanheim admitted in a first intermission televised interview. “Tend to get quite a few looks and it just hasn’t gone in for me the last little bit. Just trying to help out anyway I can.”
Jamie Drysdale kicked off the scoring at 3:59 when his point shot nicked off Flyer defenseman Louis Crevier and past King.
Drysdale said this game was different than previous losses at Washington, Dallas and Tampa Bay where they were more competitive.
“We got after it in previous games but not tonight,” Drysdale said. “I really don’t have an answer as to why. We have to figure out how to come out that way, be consistent in our game. We have to stick together as a team. That’s the most important thing. We have to figure out a way to win and get on the other side.”
The Blackhawks responded with two goals in 47 seconds. Former Flyer prospect Pat Maroon put a puck past Fedotov at 7:14. Maroon, a three-time Stanley Cup winner, has announced he will retire at the end of this season.
Then Joe Veleno took a pass from Nick Foligno and slid a shot past the reach of Fedotov at 8:01.
Bobby Brink’s goal at 11:59 gave the Flyers a 3-2 lead but the Hawks came back at 18:12 with Connor Bedard’s 20th goal of the season.
In the third period, Chicago added a seventh goal by Lukas Reichel at 2:13.
>Tortorella’s future
As the Flyers’ season winds down and it’s almost a certainty the team will miss the playoffs for a franchise record-tying fifth straight season, speculation continues about the future of coach John Tortorella.
Tortorella has been here for three of those misses, the last two involved in a proclaimed rebuild.
In the fourth segment of NBC Sports Philadelphia’s interview with Tortorella, he said he wants to complete his contract (which ends after next season) and has no interest in going into some position in management.
“I want to coach,” Tortorella said. “That’s the only thing I know how to do. I know the age (66) card has been thrown out there. I’m the oldest coach in the league (since Rick Bowness retired). I don’t care. I have all the energy, I want to coach.”
Tortorella said he loves the interaction with his players, loves coaching this team and being in Philadelphia. Now it comes down to what’s in general manager Daniel Briere’s plan for the future.
“As long as Danny thinks it’s productive. . .as I’ve told Danny, I don’t want to be part of the problem, I want to be part of the solution,” Tortorella said.
>Short shots
The Flyers finish up their five-game road trip with a game at Toronto on Tuesday night. . .Rasmus Ristolainen and Garnet Hathaway remained sidelined by injury. Hathaway has missed 12 straight games. . .Michkov has not scored a goal since March 6. . .Konecny’s goal gives him 68 points, tying his career-high originally set last season. . .Flyers’ No. 1 prospect Jett Luchanko has 55 points in 45 games for the junior hockey Guelph Storm. . .Philadelphia has given up a season-high seven goals in four games this season.
