Ryan Ellis

The Flyers are having to survive the opposition more than driving play. They clearly have flaws in their play, and it’s fair to wonder how much longer they can go without addressing them. 

Claude Giroux’s second goal of the game earned the Flyers a valuable point against the reigning Stanley Cup champions. It was just another example of their resilience in the face of adversity, another quick response just when you think this team is starting to reach the breaking point.

Tuesday’s game was the sixth of its kind, a 2-1 overtime win against the Flames that showed the team’s ability to adjust and once again their ability to get the best performance at the most crucial position and use an opportunity to seize the result.

The goaltending was something that continues to remain consistent in a positive way for the Flyers. The special teams and overall lack of scoring also remains consistent, which presents some concerns as the team hits the road.

For most of the game, they stayed the course, but not in a way that is surviving another team’s push. They controlled large portions of the game with their play. It also helped that the goaltending remained on point, one of the most noticeable consistencies of the first 10 games of the season. The result was a big two points in regulation against a divisional opponent that had only lost in regulation once all season, and silencing an all-time great in the scoring column with a milestone in his sights.

If not for excellent goaltending again, the Flyers would not have been in position to win this game. They would certainly have not gained a point in the standings, which could certainly prove valuable later. Despite that, it is hardly a moral victory for the Flyers. Another sloppy game is showing a troubling trend as a difficult month is just getting started.

The Flyers stayed the course, overcoming a questionable overturned goal call and a tight contest between a team desperate to get their first win. They finally broke through in the third, and their goaltender did the rest.

To this point in the season, the one thing the Flyers had done well, even in a pair of losses, was remain competitive in games. Saturday’s game was their first that would be classified as a clunker.

The Flyers open a three-game Western Canada road trip against the Edmonton Oilers, another team undefeated with a 5-0-0 record. Wednesday's game will mark a second straight without Ryan Ellis in the lineup, making the challenge that much tougher.

The Flyers ended their four-game homestand to start the season with a 2-1-1 record after Saturday’s 4-2 loss to the Panthers, showing signs of promise with their level of compete, but also falling short in a couple of games that were certainly there for the taking.