VOORHEES, N.J. – After a deflating loss in Washington, followed by a scheduled day off on Thursday, the Flyers knew Friday’s practice was going to be no walk in the park.
And it wasn’t.
The team went through a variety of drills, each addressing some of the things that haven’t been done right over a three-game (0-2-1) winless streak.
When it was over, the conversation inevitably turned back to comments made by Sean Couturier after the road setback to the Capitals, ones in which the captain characterized the team’s recent play as “soft.”
That’s not necessarily a dirty word in pro hockey but it certainly raised a few eyebrows when Couturier brought it up.
The Flyers held a pre-practice meeting and hopefully it helped clear the air.
“It was a game review but we always try to have a message,” Tocchet said after practice at the Flyers Training Center. “We just have to understand when a team makes a push, we have to push back.
“It’s not that we didn’t. I’ll be honest, the video today was ‘want the puck.’ I didn’t see a lot of guys want the puck. A guy would have the puck and we didn’t have enough support.”
The Flyers know their 3-8-4 record isn’t acceptable and they don’t want to dig a hole they can’t get out of.
“I don’t view us as a soft team,” Tocchet reiterated. “Sometimes it looks like we’re shy going into certain situations. Stuff that we have to deal with, adversity, expectations.”
Four games in six nights can take their toll on young players.
Porter Martone went up to Tocchet after the Washington game and told him he didn’t have his legs the first two periods. Not surprising. Some of these experiences are relatively new ones.
“That’s where you have to change your game a little bit,” Tocchet said. “Sometimes a neutral shift is good. Overall I think we have to deal with adversity and expectations a little bit better.”
Nick Seeler was one of the veterans who echoed what Couturier said the other night in Washington.
“I think if we can get back to how we played the last month of last season, sticking together and then playing for each other in general, it’s going to benefit us,” Seeler said. “That’s where we’re coming from.”
Seeler hopes the Flyers can weather this storm and sort of circle the wagons to get back into contention.
“We’re a team here, we’re in it together,” Seeler said. “We had a great meeting. Had a really good practice, worked on the things we needed to work on. Addressed the things I think we needed to address. Now we move on and go from there.”
Noah Cates is one of those responsible players who always puts the team ahead of individual accomplishments. That’s the sort of spirit that’s needed right now.
Friday’s meeting should help raise that type of feeling.
“We’re solution-based here,” Cates said. “The coaching staff does a great job with the video. Showing us details we can improve.”
Couturier’s and Seeler’s comments from Wednesday night certainly resonated in the Flyers’ room, according to Cates.
“We definitely heard from the leaders,” Cates said. “We just can’t be fragile. This game is hard, it’s messy. You have to play hard, bounces happen, for and against. So you just have to roll with them and back each other up. Just not being fragile and playing for each other.”
>Konecny practices
Both Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett practiced on Friday. Each is coming off the injury list. Konecny wore a no-contact yellow jersey.
Tocchet said Konecny is a possibility for Sunday’s home game vs. Utah.
“They’re more day-to-day, so it’s getting close,” Tocchet said. “Hopefully they get a couple good days of practice (including Saturday, then whether they come to me or the doctor says they’re ready to go. . .”
Even though Konecny wore a no-contact jersey, he did mix it up in drills, especially in the second half of the session.
“Having a veteran in there does help,” Tocchet said. “We’re asking a lot from the young guys; big roles for the team early in their careers. I think we have to take it easy on them sometimes. Can’t put all the pressure on them.”
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