Flyers Notes: Penalty killers get the job done

UNIONDALE, N.Y. - In the first month of the lockout-shortened season, the Flyers' penalty-killing units have gone from awful to amazing.

They have killed 21 straight penalties, including a five-for-five performance in Monday's 7-0 thumping of the New York Islanders.

If there can be a turning point in a seven-goal victory, it occurred when the Flyers killed a five-on-three for a full two minutes Monday. During that time, the Islanders - who faced just a 1-0 first-period deficit - managed just one shot as forwards Max Talbot, Ruslan Fedotenko and Sean Couturier kept New York off-balance. Defensemen Braydon Coburn, Nick Grossmann, and Luke Schenn excelled.

"When you kill a five-on-four or five-on-three, you change the momentum," Fedotenko said.

In the first seven games, the Flyers killed just 67.7 percent (21 of 31) of their penalties. In the 10 games since then, they have killed 95 percent (38 of 40).

Fedotenko and Schenn are new members of the penalty-killing units, and it took them a while to adapt.

"It was just a little bit of a different team, different system, trying to learn with different players," Fedotenko said. "Now I'm kind of solid with Max, so we kind of know where we're going."

Even though Fedotenko and Talbot were teammates in Pittsburgh, they needed time to jell.

"With a short training camp and no exhibition games, you don't know where everybody is going, but I feel now on the PK we know all the details and what we have to do," Fedotenko said.

Flyers coach Peter Laviolette made two major changes - and they both worked.

Jake Voracek was shifted to the top line with Claude Giroux and Matt Read, and he responded with four assists.

"He brings some speed and brings a threat off the wing with that," Laviolette said, adding that he liked the way Voracek played on that line when he moved him there late in Saturday's 4-1 loss in Montreal.

In another move, Laviolette, trying to get more speed into the lineup, inserted Harry Zolnierczyk onto the fourth line, and he set up Zac Rinaldo's goal. Zolnierczyk replaced Tye McGinn.

"Nothing against Tye because Tye's been real good for us," Laviolette said. "But Harry brings energy. He brings it in the locker room and brings it on the ice."

The Flyers blocked 23 shots - 15 more than the Islanders. Luke Schenn had four blocks. . . . Rinaldo had a goal and five hits in 10 minutes, 2 seconds. The Flyers outhit the Isles, 25-13. . . . The Flyers have won eight straight at the Nassau Coliseum.