Claude Giroux

The Flyers made their return from the Christmas break out west, with losses in three of four games while you were sleeping.

The Ducks were in the same position, with several players also out on COVID protocol, but that didn't stop them from showing just how much talent they possess. Troy Terry scored a hat trick as the Flyers finished a four-game road trip with a third straight loss, 4-1, in Anaheim.

The four-game road trip out of the holiday break ends with one more game on the West coast on Tuesday night against the Anaheim Ducks, albeit with many players out due to COVID protocol on both sides, including both team captains, a budding young star for Anaheim, and the Flyers other top-pairing defenseman.

The Kings turned in a dominant performance on Saturday night with a 6-3 victory to snap the Flyers seven-game points streak.

A short trip from San Jose to Los Angeles marks the next stop on this post-holiday road trip, as the Flyers try to extend the points streak to eight games against the Kings.

It's a quick turnaround on Thursday, as the Flyers head to California to finish up the four-game road trip. Their first game comes in San Jose, as they take on the Sharks.

Again in the third period, as they have many times before, the Flyers were in a position to grab two points. A quick response and another overtime winner ensured they did come away with just that, as their points streak hits six games with a 5-0-1 record.

Just when it seemed like Seattle finally capitalized to put their stamp on the game, the Flyers got the goal right back, setting up an overtime beauty for Ivan Provorov in a 3-2 win over the Kraken.

COVID is still running wild in the NHL and the rest of the world, but the Flyers make their return with five new additions to the COVID protocol list over the last several days, but also three players back from protocols. They will face the Seattle Kraken in their return, opening up a four-game road trip on Wednesday night. 

It wasn’t pretty, and against another of the NHL’s bottom-feeder teams, the mistakes being made and the habits continuing to take center-stage are still troubling. But the Flyers also have strung together wins and points, and that’s what was needed against these teams. Now they need to continue to form better habits and apply it, perhaps as soon as next week against some tough Metro Division competition, if the schedule allows.