Twenty-nine games in and the Flyers have to accept their identity. They are a flawed team that gives up goals in bunches, and is more fragile than a cardboard box of crystal vases.
Turnovers, lack of defensive attention and a soft goal fueled a four-goal surge in the first period Saturday that led to their second disastrous loss in New York in four nights. This time, the Islanders beat them, 6-1.
The night started with Sean Couturier being ruled out with a lower-body injury and proceeded with the defense making Islanders fourth-line center Casey Cizikas look like Connor McDavid. It took a fight by Oskar Lindblom to wake the Flyers up.
Lindblom had never been in a fight in his four-year career (159 games).
Cizikas, who had one goal in his last 19 games, had two in the first period. One came off a turnover at the blue line by Nate Prosser, the other when Erik Gustafsson failed to stay with him after a battle on the boards. The first should have been stopped by Carter Hart, who was beaten glove side from the left wing. He had no chance on New York’s other three goals.
The Islanders scored four times in 9:14 when Lindblom had seen enough and challenged Oliver Wahlstrom to a fight. Wahstrom, a rookie who had some bouts in the AHL, won it in a decision on The Philadelphia Inquirer’s scorecard.
Lindblom may have lost the fight, but he stopped the Islanders’ momentum. Joel Farabee capped the first-period scoring with a seeing-eye goal off a two-on-one rush started by Scott Laughton.
Saturday night’s loss wasn’t nearly as bad as the 9-0 disaster in Manhattan on Wednesday when the Rangers scored seven goals in the second period.
It’s March Madness and all, but that doesn’t mean the Flyers should let teams go on basketball-like runs.
The Islanders had lost the first three games to the Flyers this season, including Thursday night when Claude Giroux and Co. responded from the Rangers’ loss with a 4-3 victory.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who scored the Islanders first goal on Saturday, said the Islanders were determined not to make it four losses in a row to their division rival.
“Good teams don’t lose three games in a row and three games against the same team,” Pageau said on Friday. “We haven’t beat Philly this year. It’s a big challenge in front of us, but we’re up for it.”
The Flyers are on the outside of the playoff chase with a defense that is 30th in the NHL in goals against per game. Only lowly Ottawa is worse.
They’ve given up at least three goals in 15 consecutive games not counting two shutouts of even lowlier Buffalo.
The Flyers, 4-7-0 in March, will spend Sunday licking their wounds before starting a four-game homestand Monday with the Islanders. After playing New Jersey on Tuesday, they’ll see the Rangers again on Thursday and next Saturday.
