Coates: Flyers Learned They Can Compete With Anybody

As the Flyers get a five day Christmas break from playing on the ice, they are coming off a stretch of success that has turned their season around.  From November 25th through December 22nd the Flyers compiled a record of 11-3-1 riding on the back of Steve Mason and solid play on defense to compliment the offensive attack.

Flyers Radio Analyst Steve Coates joined The Sports Bash on Friday and discussed what the Flyers have learned from their recent winning streak along with the Shootout victory over the Washington Capitals:

“They learned they can compete with anybody. If you look at that hockey game, there wasn't any room. And when I say any room, it’s just so close checking. The Flyers matched the Capitals in defensive ability; the Capitals have six strong defensemen, we all know that. They are very experienced defensemen. We still have a group that are still finding themselves, but I will tell you what they are close. It’s a team that is really coming on and I think that has a lot to do with Dave Hakstol. When you take a look at that game, you stay in the game with the Washington Capitals, that are a heavy team, very strong in the front, and with four great lines. They have one of the best scores of all time in the game of hockey in Alex Ovechkin. Belmar did a great job on him. That means you can compete at that level and that is why the Flyers have been successful this year because they can play against teams like that and be successful.”

Checkout what Coates had to say about the play of Steve Mason, Shayne Gostisbehere in his 2nd full NHL season, and Michael Raffl's injury