Flyers upbeat after 2-1-1 trip
Despite a frustrating 2-1 loss in Arizona on Saturday night, the Flyers return home feeling good about themselves. They finished 2-1-1 on the critical road trip and are tied with Detroit for the Eastern Conference's last wild-card spot. Technically the Flyers are ahead of the Red Wings because they have a game in hand.
Despite a frustrating 2-1 loss in Arizona on Saturday night, the Flyers return home feeling good about themselves.
They finished 2-1-1 on the critical road trip and are tied with Detroit for the Eastern Conference's last wild-card spot. Technically the Flyers are ahead of the Red Wings because they have a game in hand.
"We made some progress, and now we go home off this road trip in control of our own destiny," Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said after his team missed a chance to move two points ahead of the Red Wings. "Just keep pushing forward."
The Flyers outshot Arizona, 35-17, and controlled play over the last 45 minutes.
Arizona, which won its third straight, took a 2-0 lead on a controversial goal that was reviewed twice in the closing seconds of the second period.
The first review was to determine if Michael Stone's goal had beaten the buzzer. It did. By 0.5 seconds.
After that decision was announced, Hakstol asked for another review, claiming goaltender's interference.
The Coyotes won that review, too.
Hakstol said he never got an explanation on the ruling, but apparently it was determined that Flyers defenseman Brandon Manning pushed Max Domi into goalie Steve Mason.
Domi was jostling with Manning in front, and the rookie's arm appeared to hit Mason's mask, making it difficult to see as Stone scored from the high slot.
"My mask got pushed to the side and my chin guard got in my line of sight, so I couldn't see a thing," Mason said. "I didn't have enough time to get it adjusted where I could see through."
The goal turned out to be the game-winner.
"We played a good game," said captain Claude Giroux, who hit his head in the waning minutes but is expected to play Monday. "We didn't get the result we wanted, but we can definitely look at this road trip as pretty good."
Hakstol called it a "disappointing loss" but said that overall, the road trip - which included an unfathomable late meltdown that led to a 3-2 shootout loss in Columbus - was a "small step forward."
The Flyers have eight games remaining, including five at home. They still have three sets of back-to-back games.
This week, the Flyers host Winnipeg on Monday, Washington on Wednesday, and Ottawa on Saturday before playing in Pittsburgh on Sunday.
"We have a favorable schedule at home, where we've played well, and we have to take advantage of that," Mason said.
Giroux said the Flyers "need to keep working on our game, and I think we've been doing that all season long. I think the next eight games are going to be fun to play."
Giroux and Mason were the leaders on the four-game trip. Giroux had three goals, including the game-winner in a comeback win in Colorado, and Mason compiled a 1.74 goals-against average and .945 save percentage.
"I think the guys played hard in all of our games," Mason said. "It was a tough trip. Tough travel. It would have been nice to get this one [Saturday], but we'll put it behind us and get ready to have a good homestand."
If the Flyers had won Saturday, it wouldn't have been surprising if Hakstol gave Anthony Stolarz his first career start Monday against the Jets.
Now, with little margin for error, it appears Mason will make his 11th start in the last 12 games.
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