PHILADELPHIA – They knew how big the stakes were for this game and then they came out small.
A Flyers win in regulation time over the New York Islanders on Monday night would have moved them past the Islanders for third place (the last automatic playoff spot) in the Metropolitan Division.
Instead, the Flyers put up little resistance in a 4-0 loss at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
All the good feelings from a recent 2-0-1 road trip against three strong teams kind of went out the window.
The Islanders scored shorthanded, on a power play and a pair at even strength in this one-sided game.
At the pregame morning skate at XMA, coach Rick Tocchet mentioned the Flyers have trouble in games after wins. Since the Flyers won in Colorado on Friday and then had two days off (one due to the snowstorm), that might have accounted for the slow start.
After the game, the discussion continued.
“I’ve got to get these guys ready after a win,” Tocchet said. “I don’t even know if anybody played well.”
New York goaltender Ilya Sorokin came into the game leading the NHL in shutouts with five. He made it six against a Philadelphia outfit which couldn’t sustain any pressure from good shooting angles.
It marked the first time the Flyers have been shut out at home this season.
The Flyers gave up their fifth shorthanded goal of the season at 14:29 of the first period and things went downhill from there. Casey Czikas beat two Flyer defenders to the puck in a corner and relayed to Jean-Gabriel Pageau for an easy putback past Sam Ersson.
That goal might have been an early indicator the Flyers were in trouble.
“There was no effort coming back,” Tocchet said. “We had two guys go to the same guy and one guy doesn’t backcheck. It seemed like when they scored, some guys accepted it.
“It’s effort. If one guy backchecks, there’s no goal. That’s just Hockey 101. For some reason, we just weren’t all in the game. The gameplan was there, we didn’t execute it. That’s on me.”
Things didn’t get any better in the middle frame.
Mathew Barzal’s goal during a four-on-four situation at 5:41 made it 2-0. Then ex-Flyer Tony DeAngelo blasted home a power-play shot at 12:50 and the Flyers were in a three-goal hole.
Pageau scored again in the third period for a two-goal night.
Tocchet was somewhat mystified by the difference between Friday night’s effort and Monday night’s.
“You’ve got to handle prosperity,” Tocchet said. “You win a game, you feel good about yourself, you’ve got to be even-keeled. To be a really good team, you have to handle prosperity, let the (Friday) game go. Get your business hat on for the next game. Obviously we didn’t.”
The players were hardpressed to come up with answers.
“I just don’t think we had it tonight,” Jamie Drysdale said. “At the end of the day, that’s what you can kind of chalk it up to.”
Drysdale was on the ice for the shorthanded goal which set the tone for the night.
“I just have to be better there,” he said.
The defenseman wasn’t totally buying the idea of a big letdown after the win over the Avalanche.
“I think for us to be successful, you have to be even-keeled,” he said. “That was a big win against Colorado. I think you can either build from it or figure out how to approach the next game.”
Sean Couturier was puzzled by the Flyers’ lack of wholehearted push. They generated only 21 shots and most were from harmless areas.
“Obviously a disappointing effort,” he said. “I think special teams were a big part of the game (the Flyers were 0 for three on their power play). They get a shorthanded and then a power play. After that we were kind of flat. We need to be better overall.”
Added Noah Cates: “Whether we’re playing on the road or at home, we have to play the same way (the Flyers are exactly even with 12 home and 12 road wins). When we roll lines and stack shifts together, we’re a very dangerous team. But I think we get away from that after a win.”
>Zegras slumping
After registering 41 points in his first 41 games, Travor Zegras has kind of hit a wall. He has just two goals in his last 11 games.
“It’s been slipping, not just tonight but a bunch of games lately,” Tocchet said. “It looks like he’s not pushing the pace. He’s kind of waiting around. He’s got to step up and push the pace.”
>Barkey offense notable
Since Jan. 15, Denver Barkey’s five points rank tied for second on the Flyers with Owen Tippett behind only Travis Konecny’s six. Also, Barkey ranks second behind Beckett Sennecke (Anaheim) for the NHL rookie point lead since Jan. 15 (Sennecke has six).
>Short shots
The Flyers begin a two-game road trip in Columbus on Wednesday, then head to Boston on Thursday. . .Nikita Grebenkin took Garnet Hathaway’s spot on the fourth line. Also, defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen returned to action and was paired with Emil Andrae. . .Dan Vladar’s 2.46 goals-against average is ranked 10th in the NHL. . .The only other team to blank the Flyers this season was Tampa Bay back in late November. . .Sorokin career numbers vs. the Flyers entering the game: 11-3-3, 1.61 goals-against average, 9.44 save percentage.
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