The Flyers week continues with a meeting against the New York Islanders, a team that just made their splash at the trade deadline by acquiring Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac from the New Jersey Devils.
The Flyers are about to embark on another rough month, facing numerous contenders and not having a lot of time off between games. It all starts with Saturday night's game against the New York Islanders.
One more game remains with the Islanders on a three-game stretch, as things return home for the start of a four-game homestand. Time is of the essence for the Flyers and if a turnaround is going to happen, it needs to happen immediately.
In Saturday’s game, it took just over six minutes for the Flyers to allow a goal. After another 10 minutes, the Islanders had four on the board and the game was as good as over. Two more third-period turnovers padded the score further, resulting in a 6-1 defeat for the Flyers. There’s an awful lot to unpack in another result like that.
Within 10 minutes, the Islanders opened up a three-goal lead of their own, and added a fourth goal with under five minutes to play. That was all they needed, as a late first-period goal by the Flyers was all they could get in a 6-1 defeat to the Islanders on Saturday night.
The Flyers did get the outcome they needed in the last game, as a late goal propelled them to victory. That was a step in the right direction, but it has to continue. They will face the Islanders again on Saturday night, closing out a four-game road trip.
The Flyers face a must-win situation, as their season just gets uglier by the game. Their challenge on Thursday, one night after being handed their worst road loss in franchise history, is another game on the road against the New York Islanders, a team tied at the top of the division.
The Flyers are in search of their fourth straight win and seventh of the season. The Islanders are still trying to get on the right track record-wise, but played a solid 40 minutes on Saturday that deserved a better fate. They will be looking to bounce back in this game.
It is now 147 days since the Islanders eliminated the Flyers from the playoffs, and the two teams get back on the ice to face each other on Saturday night at Wells Fargo Center. Game time is at 7 p.m.