Chuck Fletcher’s motives in the April 12 trading deadline will be heavily influenced by the Flyers’ game over the next five or six games.
“We put ourselves in a position where we are racing to get back to the playoffs,” said the Flyers general manager on Saturday afternoon. “We have time to go back, but we are in danger of underestimating, this week is a massive week for us, particularly in the next four days.”
On Saturday night, the Flyers opened this crucial stretch with a 3-2 loss on penalties to the Islanders at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Sean Couturier, Nolan Patrick, Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek were rejected in the skills competition.
Mathew Barzal scored the only penalty kick to beat him for New York.
Getting a point was important for Flyers. His next two games are of the utmost importance.
“The season is at stake,” said Voracek after the game. “We are in a big hole, we basically can’t lose big games. That’s the way it is.”
With 20 games remaining in their short regular season of 56 games, the Flyers (17-14-5) are four points behind Bruins, who hold the fourth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Division. Boston has two games in play at the Flyers and has taken all five meetings between the two clubs so far.
On Monday and Tuesday, the Flyers will have the chance to tie even with the Bruins in the points column.
“We are all aware of that,” said Flyers coach Alain Vigneault, ahead of the game, of the club’s position before the negotiation deadline. “I am aware of it, my team is aware of it and all the players are. We are out now, we are trying to get back and these next games are extremely important to obviously what Chuck and management are thinking. It is up to us to play the way right, do the right things on the ice and win games. “
The Flyers started 3-0-0 against the Islanders (24-10-4) this season, but lost the last three (0-1-2).
• For the Flyers, possibly the biggest plot on Saturday night: Carter Hart looked a lot more like himself.
He was brilliant.
After the 22-year-old’s mini restart consisting of practice and extra work, Vigneault returned to Hart for his first start in nine days.
“Obviously, there is an argument between coach and goalkeeper, but he looked me straight in the eye and said he was ready to go and wanted to play,” said Vigneault before the game about his conversation with Hart.
“If we want to push the playoff that I believe we can do and enter, we need all of our best players, all of our best players to be on top of their game and bring that game A and that effort. Carter is one of those guys We are right there, there are 21 games left and we need to be at our best and Carter needs to want to be one of those players who need to be at their best.
Hart, who entered with an average of 4.04 goals against, finished with 22 saves and many of them of high quality. He denied three of the four pitches in the skills competition.
Overall, huge for him and huge for the Flyers’ hopes of chasing a playoff spot.
“I just practiced every day, without pouting, just having fun with the boys, competing and fighting,” said Hart after the game. “Just showing up to work every day with my helmet and lunchbox.”
New York goalkeeper Ilya Sorokin is 3-0-0, with 89 saves in 93 shots in his last three games against the Flyers.
• In less than four minutes during the third period, Giroux nullified New York’s 2-0 lead with a pair of impressive shots.
The 33-year-old captain was a man on a mission. Travis Konecny and Voracek recorded assists in both goals.
The Islanders were 11-0-1 when they led after the second period and narrowly improved that to 12-0-1. It is difficult to play against them from behind.
• Flyers lose by several goals in 13 of the last 18 games. They fell 2-0 in the second period, when they made several failed attempts to clear the area.
As a result, Barzal had the disc on his stick with time and space. The 23-year-old Islanders’ star met Anthony Beauvillier, who fired his second goal in the game to give New York a 2-0 lead.
• Samuel Morin dropped his gloves with Ross Johnston in the first period.
Later in the period, Morin was cautioned for interference after a major blow from behind on Jean-Gabriel Pageau. New York capitalized on its first power play of the game, when Beauvillier scored an easy goal near the slot.
The Flyers lost 1-0 after 20 minutes and did not maintain the lead in the first interval in the last 10 games. For some reason, the beginnings remain problematic.
• In a physical move with Brock Nelson, Philippe Myers fell awkwardly onto the boards during the third period. He went up the tunnel, but managed to get back into the game.
Standing in front of health, Robert Hagg (shoulder) trained on Friday and appears to be close to a comeback.
• Fourteen games in his professional career, Tanner Laczynski was called up for his NHL debut. The 23-year-old was one of the best strikers in the AHL-affiliated Lehigh Valley and scored six goals in his last five games.
He took the traditional warm-up solo laps on Saturday night and centered the fourth row. He won three head-to-head matches and blocked a shot in 8:17 minutes.
• Flyers have what could be a set against the Bruins. The teams meet on Monday at TD Garden (19h ET / NBCSP) and Tuesday at Wells Fargo Center (19h ET / NBCSP).
The NHL negotiation deadline is the following Monday.
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