Neuvirth and one win give Flyers hope

WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Funny how timing can mean everything to a hockey team.

If the Flyers had started their five-game road trip by beating Buffalo and then lost four straight, it would have been perceived as a disastrous journey.

But as it turned out, the Flyers lost their first four games and ended the grueling trip with their best effort since they defeated the powerful Rangers two weeks ago. They received a lights-out performance from Michal Neuvirth (again) on Saturday and defeated a good Winnipeg team, 3-0, at the earsplitting MTS Centre.

And, so, the Flyers return to the Wells Fargo Center feeling good about themselves, aware that they can get over .500 with home wins over Colorado and Washington this week.

The Flyers showed little life in the first three games of the trip, getting outhustled, badly outshot, and outplayed in losses to Buffalo, Vancouver, and Edmonton. The lowlight was when they allowed 49 shots - to Edmonton, of all teams - in a 4-2 loss.

"We're better than we've been playing, for sure," club president Paul Holmgren said before he headed to Toronto for Chris Pronger's Hall of Fame induction on Monday. Before the team ended a six-game losing streak in Winnipeg, Holmgren said the Flyers "don't seem as confident with the puck as we did earlier in the year."

They steadied themselves by getting a point in a 2-1 overtime loss in Calgary - which the Flames won on a fortunate bounce off the goal-scorer's stomach - and then permitted a season-low 28 shots in the win in Winnipeg.

All of which brings us to what some are calling the team's latest goalie controversy. Right now, Neuvirth deserves to be No. 1 until he falters. Simple as that.

The Czech Republic native is tied for the NHL lead in save percentage (.945), fourth in goals-against average (1.81), and first in shutouts (three).

In other words, there should be no controversy. How can you not play a guy who has been the team's MVP in the season's first month?

For an assortment of reasons, some personal, Steve Mason has had a difficult start, but it would not be surprising if he eventually got the No. 1 job back.

But for now, the Flyers must ride the hot hand, hope it doesn't end, and be grateful they have two No. 1-caliber goalies.

"We've been struggling a little bit to score goals," said winger Wayne Simmonds, whose team is next to last in the NHL, averaging 1.93 goals per game, "but both of our goalies have been playing awesome."

The Flyers need to do a much better job in front of Neuvirth and Mason than they did for most of the road trip, one in which they allowed the first goal in four of the five games. They were outscored, 13-5, heading into the final game of the trip.

Ah, the final game. It breathed some much-needed energy into the team and restored a measure of confidence.

"We played good in Calgary and wanted to build off that," coach Dave Hakstol said.

After the first period Saturday, the Flyers did a terrific job keeping most of Winnipeg's shots to the perimeter. As a result, Neuvirth wasn't as drained in the latter stages, and said he had "a lot more energy than the games before."

Keeping opponents' high-quality chances to a minimum was a trait that was missing for most of the trip.

So was this: Strong special-teams play.

On Saturday, the Flyers won the special-teams battle, 2-0. It was only the second time all season they had outscored an opponent in special teams; the other time was a 3-0 win over the defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks.

It is no coincidence that the penalty kill is 7 for 7 in the two games since defensive whiz Sean Couturier returned from a concussion. The PK allowed power-play goals in five of the six games Couturier missed, killing just 16 of 22.

As for the power play, it ended a seven-game, 0-for-16 funk by connecting on 2 of 5 chances Saturday. The passing was extra crisp, and rarely was the puck cleared out of the offensive zone.

"We kind of sensed it was coming," Hakstol said. "We need our power play to win."

The numbers support him. The Flyers are 3-1-1 when they score at least one power-play goal, 2-5-2 when they don't.

Oh, and 3-0 when Neuvirth, a free agent before signing a two-year deal for a total of $3.25 million in the offseason, stands on his head and collects a shutout.

scarchidi@phillynews.com

@BroadStBull