The Flyers are 6-5 in OT and 10-8 after regulation
The Flyers have gone to 3-on-3 overtime 18 times this season, tied with the Penguins for the most in the NHL.
So practicing it makes sense. That's what the Flyers did Monday coming off two more games that ended after regulation — one a 5-4 overtime loss to the Penguins and the other a 2-1 shootout win over the Jets.
At one point, a displeased John Tortorella stopped the practice to huddle his team together. He vehemently told his players to stop switching in their 3-on-3 coverage. He wanted them to find a man and stick to him.
"Because we cover like s---, yes," Tortorella confirmed after practice.
The veteran head coach likes 3-on-3 overtime. He knows it's built for offense. But he needs to see a semblance of defense. Against Pittsburgh, Matvei Michkov and Travis Konecny appeared to have a miscommunication on who was covering Evgeni Malkin. Against Winnipeg, the Flyers were in survival mode because the Jets had the puck so much.
"We're always involved in these games; I want us to be better at it," Tortorella said. "At times, I think we have the problem solved. Other times, I say, 'Holy s---, are we just not thinking?'"
The Flyers (27-26-8) open a season-long seven-game homestand Tuesday with some momentum. They're on a five-game point streak (4-0-1) as they welcome Joel Farabee, Morgan Frost and the Flames (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP). Right now, the Flyers need every point possible if they want to track down a playoff spot. They entered Monday four points back of the Eastern Conference's second wild-card position, but with five teams ahead of them.
Tortorella's club is 6-5 in overtime, 4-3 in the shootout and 13-5-8 in games decided by one goal.
"They're crucial points right now," the head coach said. "When you're trying to win in overtime, sometimes you have to play defense. I think we're just so inconsistent. We don't have much more practice time, we wanted to make sure we got that in today. We're going to show even some clips from practice today tomorrow to try to hammer home the point as far as how you do play 3-on-3. Because I think those points are going to be crucial as you see the East, what it is."
While Tortorella wasn't thrilled with the 3-on-3 overtime defense Monday at practice, effort is one thing he hasn't had to worry about with his team. He praised his club's work ethic. If the Flyers stay intact the rest of the way, they like their chances at making the playoff race interesting.
It'll boil down to the consistency and execution of their game when it matters most — like overtime.
"We've seen it all year long with us, that's why we're .500, it comes and goes," Tortorella said. "We're just going to try to have it go as long as we can keep it going and if we fall off, we've got to get back at it. And then we'll see where we fall at the end of the year."
