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Ron Hextall: 'We've got a lot of hockey left'

NEW YORK - Ron Hextall is preaching patience. "That's part of my job description," the Flyers' general manager said before the team rallied for a dramatic 3-2 overtime win over the New York Islanders on Sunday night. "I have to stay patient. You make quick decisions and you don't make the right decisions. We've got a lot of thoughts going on, but we'll see how she plays out in the next month or so."

NEW YORK - Ron Hextall is preaching patience.

"That's part of my job description," the Flyers' general manager said before the team rallied for a dramatic 3-2 overtime win over the New York Islanders on Sunday night. "I have to stay patient. You make quick decisions and you don't make the right decisions. We've got a lot of thoughts going on, but we'll see how she plays out in the next month or so."

Sunday's win was just the Flyers' fourth in the last 16 games - and it put them back in a playoff spot, though they have played four more games than Toronto, one of many teams in contention for a wild-card berth.

"We've got a lot of hockey left," Hextall said. "No one here's giving up or anything like that. We go 10-0 and then we fall into this. You look at the overall record it's not where we expect to be, but we're in the mix and we're going to continue to fight."

Since winning 10 straight, the Flyers have gone 4-9-3.

"It's not the typical way to get to the place we're at," Hextall said. "We don't like the way we've played over the last month, month and a half, and we need to correct that. Make no mistake we need some urgency for sure."

They showed urgency Sunday, firing 47 shots - their second-highest total this season - and not taking any periods off.

Asked before the win if he was close to bringing up some players from the Phantoms, Hextall sounded as if he is going to give the current Flyers more time to turn things around.

"I'm not going to dip down into the AHL if it's not going to make us better," he said. "Some people want change for the sake of change. We've got to stay on course here and see where this group goes and we'll make decisions as we go along."

Added Hextall: "When we feel like someone down there can help us, that's when we'll make a move."

He said it's "not that difficult" to get back on track. "You get a break and all of a sudden you win a couple games and away you go. That's why you've got to be careful in my position making decisions on short portions of your schedule. That's why we play 82 games. The 10-0, should we have won all 10? No. The last 15, should we have lost as many as we've lost? No. I don't think so, but that's the way it is."

Breakaways

Jake Voracek was moved back to Claude Giroux's line. Giroux seemed energized and had six shots, including the game-winner. . . . Broadcaster Steve Coates will have Achilles tendon surgery Tuesday and will miss two weeks.