Flyers know they will be in for a battle in stretch drive

VOORHEES, N.J. – That November hockey party?
It’s over.
We’re into the last half of the National Hockey League schedule, where the rink seems to get a little smaller and the bodies collide a bit harder.
No one has to remind the Flyers, not after two hunbling losses at the hands and sticks of the very talented Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Flyers were scheduled to have Tuesday off. But after getting outscored by a 12-3 margin in the two-game set, coach Rick Tocchet decided it was time for a little meet-and-greet with the video machine at the Flyers Training Center.
It’s no secret: The Flyers have missed the playoffs five straight years and ending that streak will be no cakewalk. That’s why there needs to be a sense of urgency. Especially in this year’s division races.
As Tocchet recently put it: Two straight wins and you can be on top of the division or three straight losses and you can be at the bottom.
It’s a warning worth repeating. These last 40 or so games will decide if the Flyers are playing hockey or golf in April.
Veterans such as Travis Sanheim can get the message across by setting a good example. Don’t get caught out of position. Don’t overskate a shift. Be aware of what’s behind you as well as what’s in front of you.
“I think first and foremost, it’s setting an example of how we’re supposed to play and doing it yourself,” he said after Tuesday’s optional workout.
“Having them understand how games are going to continue to get harder as we go along from here. It doesn’t get any easier. The race gets tighter.”
Leading into the final three weeks before the Olympics, veterans know this hectic schedule will only push the pace a little higher.
“It’s just understanding that every play matters,” Sanheim said. “Every battle matters. It’s just a lot harder to win hockey games. You have to do the hard things to be successful in this league and do it on a consistent basis.”
Tocchet also keeps reminding players that the games will start to change as the dates wind down.
“Oh yeah, this is not October-November hockey,” the coach said. “It’s February-March (hockey). We have to ramp up, be better. Ten percent better.
“If we come out better on the battles, it will help our game. Some guys are squeezing the stick. We had two-on-ones and didn’t get a shot. Don’t defer, go in like ‘Devo’ (Christian Dvorak, who had the only goal on Monday night) did, took the shot and scored.
“When you don’t try to score, you’re on your heels.”

>Drysdale return

Jamie Drysdale has finished his week on injured reserve and should be ready for Wednesday night’s game at Buffalo.
The Flyers have missed his efficient shot from the point on the power play.
Bobby Brink’s status is uncertain.
“We’ll see how he (Drysdale) skates today,” Tocchet said. “He’s a possibility.”
The Flyers did send Adam Ginning back to Lehigh Valley, so that increased speculation that Drysdale will be a go.
Tocchet would like to get Drysdale back as soon as possible as the Flyers try to end an 0-2-1 winless streak.
“He’s a big loss,” Tocchet said. “Sometimes when things get hectic, he does settle things down.”
Sanheim is an avid observer of Drysdale from ice level.
“He’s obviously played great for us this season,” Sanheim said. “The way he’s defended and his ability to move pucks and use his legs has been really good for us this season.
“We’ve had injuries to multiple guys so it would be nice to get some of those guys back.”
This is the first time this season the Flyers have really been banged up. How they handle this mini-crisis should say something about their character.
“A couple games (vs. Tampa) that we weren’t satisfied with,” Sanheim said. “I think it’s just getting back to what made us successful. We’re not one of the most skilled teams in the league and we can’t win like that, so it’s understanding what makes us good and kind of getting back to that style of hockey.”
Travis Konecny has been dealing with some physical issues but should be a go as well.
“He played through some stuff,” Tocchet said. “You’ve got to give him a lot of credit.”
Only about five players skated on Tuesday. Drysdale, Brink and Konecny were not among them.

>Power play puzzle

The Flyers started the season off with such promise on the power play and now its nose-dived back to the bottom of the league rankings. Any ideas for solutions?
“From a player’s standpoint, the execution has got to be a lot better,” Sanheim admitted. “The coaches have done a nice job outlining how it’s supposed to be run, the reads in certain situations.
“It just comes down to execution. It’s not just one guy either. It might be guys away from the puck. When you’re not on the same page and not in sync, it’s hard to have a good power play.”