PHILADELPHIA — What’s bleaker than a 10-game losing streak? Two of them.
The Flyers’ free-fall down the standings accelerated Thursday night at the Wells Fargo Center against Jake Voráček and the Columbus Blue Jackets, who secured a 2-1 victory over the home team. Now, the Flyers haven’t won a game since Dec. 30 against the Seattle Kraken.
Earlier this season, the Flyers lost 10 straight from Nov. 18 until Dec. 10 against the Vegas Golden Knights. During that stretch, the Flyers fired former head coach Alain Vigneault.
Two Blue Jackets goals, from Oliver Bjorkstrand and Patrik Laine, proved to be enough to take down the Flyers. Despite a late surge that saw winger Gerry Mayhew score his first goal as a Flyer with roughly seven minutes to go in the third period, the Flyers couldn’t capitalize on their five-on-five scoring chances or on their six-on-five in the final two minutes to overcome the Blue Jackets.
For the first time in franchise history, the Flyers have two 10-game losing streaks in a single season.
Giving up the first goal, but not giving up
More than halfway through the second period, the Blue Jackets got on the board first just as their power play expired. Defenseman Ivan Provorov attempted to start a breakout from the Flyers’ zone, however his pass intended for center Scott Laughton was batted away by center Sean Kuraly to force a turnover. Center Boone Jenner recover the puck and passed it ahead for Bjorkstrand, who put the moves on goalie Carter Hart and beat him over his blocker.
Despite giving up the first goal for the eighth time in the last nine games, the Flyers kept the offensive pressure on the Blue Jackets for the remainder of the period. They outshot Columbus 8-2 in the final eight minutes of the second period. Additionally, the Flyers wouldn’t back down from a challenge — when defenseman Gavin Bayreuther hit winger Oskar Lindblom, then cross-checked him from behind as Lindblom attempted to stand up, Laughton dropped the gloves with Bayreuther.
Power play comes up empty-handed
Going into Saturday night and dating to the start of the losing streak on Dec. 30, the Flyers ranked 26th in the league in power play percentage (15.4%). After going 0 for 4 on the power play against the New York Islanders on Monday, the Flyers followed up with an improved man-advantage performance the following night against the Islanders, going 1 for 3. Against the Blue Jackets and their 23rd-ranked penalty kill, the Flyers sought to take another step on the power play, but struggled to do so in the first period.
Through two power-play opportunities in the first period, the Flyers only managed two shots on goal and struggled to enter the offensive zone cleanly. One of the Flyers’ few sustained efforts came when Keith Yandle kept the puck from bouncing out of the zone at the blue line at the end of the second power play. He passed it to Ivan Provorov, who sent it back to him, then Yandle fed winger Travis Konecny for a one-timer that wouldn’t go five-hole on goalie Elvis Merzlikins. In total, the Flyers went 0 for 4 on the power play against the Blue Jackets, marking four missed opportunities to capitalize.
Atkinson on the attack
Despite a slow first period for both clubs, former Blue Jacket Cam Atkinson came out of the gate buzzing for a goal against his old team. After the first period, Atkinson and linemates Joel Farabee and Claude Giroux finished with seven shot attempts total, only allowing one Blue Jackets shot attempt, according to Natural Stat Trick. More than halfway through the first period, Atkinson picked off a Blue Jackets pass in the neutral zone, skated to the net with speed, and fired a shot wide.
Later in the second period, shortly after defenseman Zach Werenski’s goal on Carter Hart was successfully challenged and waived off by interim head coach Mike Yeo, Atkinson buzzed around the net again. Off a feed from Farabee, Atkinson couldn’t get a backhander from the slot past Merzlikins. Despite a strong effort, Atkinson was held scoreless on three shots on goal.
