Flyers still need work on better line changes

NEW YORK – Sometimes the smallest error can have the biggest consequences.
Take the deciding goal in the Flyers’ 3-1 loss at Washington on Wednesday night.
The Flyers appeared to be late getting fresh skaters off the bench and onto the ice late in the game.
In a flash, the Capitals capitalized on the miscue and broke a 1-1 tie with just over five minutes to play.
Before Thursday night’s game at Madison Square Garden, coach Rick Tocchet said this sort of mishap is nothing new for the Flyers.
“I’ll be honest with you, there are three or four guys who have had a tough time with line changes,” Tocchet said. “That’s something that I’m going to have to be really strict on. Last year in the playoffs, there were line changes that really costed some teams in huge situations.”
Tocchet says he wants to get that situation rectified. There are nights when those kinds of things can cost the team a game.
“Anything like that,” Tocchet said. “I hate to say big moments are changing properly, leaving the next line in a good place, not a mess. You can’t just go off the ice when you want.
“Five minutes left, you cannot have bad line changes. You just can’t.”

>Keeping their cool

Near the end of Wednesday night’s game, a number of Flyers were clearly frustrated because things weren’t going their way.
That’s perhaps the biggest challenge in professional ice hockey – not letting that frustration affect your game.
Tocchet said the players can’t afford to lose their cool in those situations.
“From experience, some guys haven’t played in the playoffs and they want to play in the playoffs,” Tocchet said. “So if things don’t go their way, there’s some frustration. You got to understand if you’re down one-nothing or you’re up two-nothing, you got to play with confidence.
“You’ve got to have confidence with the puck. All of a sudden, because the pressure hits, ‘I’m going to start throwing pucks away.’ That’s where they start getting frustrated. You think you’re playing safe and then things don’t go well. That’s the frustration.”
It’s a fine line but ultimately, playing the right way often prevails.
“That’s the hard part,” Tocchet said. “You’ve got to teach guys to understand if you do the right things, things will work your way. You can’t get frustrated. That’s the worst thing.”

>Remedy for Dvorak

After a strong first half, Christian Dvorak’s productivity has tailed off. Entering Thursday night’s game, he had just two goals/five points in his last 13 games.
Tocchet offered a solution.
“He’s just got to play who he is,” the coach said. “I think sometimes, if he’s our first or second centerman, you try to play something that you’re not. I’m not saying he’s trying to. . .he wants to produce but he also has to be who he is. When you’re your best version of yourself, that’s the best way.”
Dvorak has been a big part of Trevor Zegras’ success to date. The Flyers are hoping that twosome can start to click again.
“It’s OK to be a smart, two-way hockey player that is good in his own end,” Tocchet said. “We don’t need for you to be something that you’re not.”

>Grundstrom experiment

Tocchet tried Carl Grundstrom at center on the fourth line for the game in Washington. What went into that decision?
“If Trevor (Zegras) doesn’t play center, we’re a little thin in that situation,” Tocchet explained. “I just wanted to see if he could do it, like an experiment. I thought he was OK. I’m going to have to put him out there and see if they (including Nikita Grebenkin and Garnet Hathaway) can do the job. That’s really the reason why.”