Tocchet: ‘It’s been a horrible two weeks. . .we have to fix it’

      PHILADELPHIA – A team that stays together plays better together.

      That was the message the Flyers were attempting to embrace after starting off the season with a franchise record seven-game (0-5-2) winless streak.

      When a team doesn’t win for the better part of two weeks – especially right out of the gate – there’s a temptation to point fingers.

      That, however, really is not going to fix anything.

      Instead, the lines of positive communication have to stay open.

      After Tuesday morning’s skate preceding the game against Seattle, Owen Tippett was one of the players who said his team has been through this kind of thing before, so there is a blueprint for getting out of it.

      “We know what we have to do to break things down,” Tippett said. “I think it’s just a matter of doing it consistently. We know what’s in this group. We’re going to get there, it’s just a matter of believing in it and putting it together for 60 minutes.”

      Added coach Rick Tocchet: “It’s been a horrible two weeks. We’re the ones that have to fix it.”

      Tippett said the vibe in the locker room is still upbeat.

      “There hasn’t been one ounce of turning on each other,” Tippett said. “We’re all in this together. There are times when guys speak, there are also times when it’s complete silence. We know what we have to do. There’s nothing really to be said other than each guy knowing what they have to do.

      “I think that makes it harder at times but it’s also nice that we have that and the guys aren’t going to turn on each other, we’re all in this together. To get out of this it’s going to be all of us.”

      The Flyers are coming off their best season since 2020, so the players know they have it in them. Now it’s just a matter of execution.

      “We’re one unit in here and we know we have a good coaching staff, a sounding board where they take our suggestions,” Tippett said. “We take theirs. We have to put everything together, believe in it.”

      There have been good spurts of play but not real consistent efforts.

      “There are times when we’re right in it and then we get deflated pretty easily,” Tippett said. “That’s going to happen when things are like this. We can’t let it break us down as quick as it did.”

      Tocchet has worked behind NHL benches long enough to know slumps, like winning streaks, can turn in the blink of an eye.

      “It’s a game of mistakes,” he said. “But you can’t duplicate mistakes. That’s the biggest thing. That’s what we keep talking about. A guy makes a mistake, then the next guy makes a mistake. Then it’s all (bedlam).

      “The Ottawa game, we were there to help the guy out. This year we haven’t. The details of our game we have to continue to work on, they’re lacking. We have to really dial it in.”

      >Studnicka making debut

      The Flyers called up forward Jack Studnicka from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Monday and Tocchet said he would be in uniform for Tuesday night’s game.

      “I thought he had a good camp, he’s got some speed,” Tocchet said. “I think I had him in Vancouver, so I know him a little bit.”

      >Slow start for Cates

      A number of players are off to slow starts and Noah Cates, in particular, has been struggling. Through seven games he had no points with a minus-4.

      “Just a little indecisive in his game,” Tocchet said. “We actually talked today, watched some video. The center position, it’s really important to play fast. Sometimes he’s too low (in the zone), almost too technical. There are times when we get the puck, he’s got to take off.”

      Cates has been playing with skilled players such as Porter Martone and Matvei Michkov, so the assist chances should be there.

      “I think it will help his game to play faster,” Tocchet said. “We need middle speed and he can play faster.”