Three Thoughts: The Flyers Look Tired After 4-1 Loss

The Philadelphia Flyers put forward their second-straight discouraging effort in their 4-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets Thursday night.

John Tortorella’s post-game press conference lasted no more than 50 seconds, with the Flyers’ bench boss saying this:

“My thoughts about the game tonight are going to stay in the locker room. What I say up here with you guys will do the team no good.” 

Tortorella may not have offered his full thoughts after the game, but I will.

Three Thoughts After the Flyers’4-1 Loss

Last season, what was a solid season for Sam Ersson was flipped on its head with an unexpected heavy workload. Ersson was worked into the ground, and his fatigue showed as the season went on.

This year, Tortorella said he would not work Ersson back into the ground, giving him a properly balanced workload down the stretch, while still giving the number-one netminder “the lion’s share” of the remaining schedule. However, it seems like the opposite is happening.

Ersson had been great for the Flyers since the holiday break, including one helluva performance for Team Sweden in the 4 Nations Face-Off. Since then, Ersson has looked like a shell of himself from just a month ago.

In his first two starts out of the break, Ersson let up a combined four goals. In his last three, he’s allowed 12. Making that even worse, Ersson did not even reach the halfway point of the first period in the Calgary game. The “Spectacular Sam” the Flyers had grown accustomed to in the new year has not been a season-long theme, but this poor stretch of play certainly isn’t telling of his play either. Thursday’s 23-save night was just another showing that Ersson is slowing down, and seems a bit tired.

If you were to ask me, Ersson needs a break—a proper one at that. Ivan Fedotov has not looked bad in his recent play and should get the next few games for the Flyers. Ersson should mentally reset before this stretch grows worse.

The Flyers came out of the break with juice. In the first two games after the break, the team played at an exciting level. The second game against Pittsburgh was not all bad. The first half of that game was great. However, the Penguins’ scoring three unanswered goals was a turning point.

The Flyers’ tremendous defensive game the first time around vs. Winnipeg was backed up with little offense. That trend continued into the Calgary game and bled into Thursday’s loss. The Flyers’ offense has gone missing. It may be time to put a milk carton ad out searching for it. If it weren’t for the Matvei Michkov goal, the Flyers would have been shut out.

However, the Flyers’ offense is not the only thing that looks worn out. The entire game on Thursday looked tired. For the second straight game, Philadelphia was dominated in the neutral zone. It did not stop there. It seemed like the Jets were able to set up and have their way with the Flyers in front of the net all night–that did not help Ersson much.

Even on offense, they were unable to generate any significant chances. Jets’ backup Eric Comrie was in net, but the Flyers made him look like prime Hank Thursday night.

The Flyers simply look gassed. They have a practice on Friday and back-to-back afternoon games on Saturday and Sunday. It will be interesting to see how they perform, especially Saturday vs. the Kraken.

Thursday’s game featured what seemed like a rarity these days: the Noah Cates line was kept clean off the scoresheet.

However, if there was anything forward looking to take from Thursday’s game, it’s that the Cates line cannot be your only source of offense. That is no disrespect to any of Cates, Tyson Foerster, or Bobby Brink. They have each been a bright spot for the Flyers all season in their own way.

If the Flyers want to be competitive, they must find a dangerous top-line. The Cates line is a gem. They are great together. It seems time and time again that they are the only Flyers’ line that can generate any bit of offense. Despite their scoreless night, that theme showed again. They just get to the greasy areas and do their best to make things happen.

Other than them, the only real offense Thursday night was Michkov’s unassisted goal, which he made happen himself.

If the Flyers want to be competitive again, they need to find a top line that can be a consistent offensive threat. The Cates line is the line the Flyers should put out to stifle other teams’ top lines. It shouldn’t be the Flyers’ best scoring line as well.