Three Lessons the Flyers Need to Learn from Back-to-Back Blowout Losses to the Lightning
Rick Tocchet often talks about lessons. After two straight sobering losses to perennial powerhouse Tampa Bay, in which the Flyers were outscored by 12-3, they surely learned a few tough ones. Here are three lessons from Monday's 5-1 loss to the Lightning that the Flyers need to carry with them as they move through a gauntlet before February's Olympic break.
- More Consistency Needed
The Flyers need to play consistently, taking it one shift at a time. While they have great stretches, they need to be on their toes for a full 60 minutes. Nick Seeler emphasizes the importance of playing the right way and helping the defense by blocking shots. The team needs to do the little things to be successful, and they can continue to grow and improve their consistency.
- Cut Down on Turnovers
The Flyers had 19 giveaways on Monday, with Matvei Michkov turning the puck over twice in one shift. This trend is costly, as the team is not scoring despite the turnovers. Rick Tocchet believes that if they want to play risky, they need to score. The Flyers are one of the NHL's best teams at limiting giveaways, but they need to tighten up and reduce turnovers to improve their performance.
- Special Teams Need to Step Up
The Flyers' power play and penalty kill have been struggling. They had two power plays on Monday without a single shot on goal, and their penalty kill is matching the futility of their power play. Sean Couturier acknowledges that the penalty kill is not good enough. Special teams can make or break a team's performance, and the Flyers need to improve in this area to stay competitive in the Metropolitan Division.
