Five observations from Flyers' sloppy loss to Ducks

Some takeways from the Flyers' setback against visiting Anaheim on Tuesday:

Paging Michal Neuvirth. Paging Michal Neuvirth.

Neuvirth has the league's lowest goals-against average (1.36) and highest save percentage (.957). Yet, for some odd reason, he has played in just three of the Flyers' nine games. Brian Elliott, making his sixth start, struggled mightily Tuesday, and his GAA climbed to 3.33 and his save percentage dropped to .876.

"We could have been a lot better. Starting with me in the net, that's where it all starts," Elliott said.

Look for Neuvirth to get the call Thursday in Ottawa.

Shortly after Anaheim's Kevin Bieksa decked Radko Gudas with a right-handed punch, the Ducks scored to tie the score at 1-1 late in the first period. They then scored three second-period goals to take a 4-1 lead. Game over.

"The fight was a big thing for us," Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf said. "Sometimes it can get some momentum for you. Getting in there and building some momentum for our group, and we built off of it."

Getzlaf showed how much he means to the Ducks.

With Getzlaf sidelined by an injury, the Flyers scored a 3-2 win in Anaheim earlier this month. Getzlaf (6-foot-4, 223 pounds) returned to the lineup Tuesday and centered a bruising line with wingers Rickard Rakell (6-2, 198) and Corey Perry (6-3, 213).

The line combined for two goals, three assists and a plus-6 rating.

Maybe in time, the new defensive pairings will work, but the players seemed so out of sync in the first 40 minutes that coach Dave Hakstol went back to more familiar duos in the final period.

Yes, the Flyers missed Andrew MacDonald, who will be sidelined for 4-6 weeks with a leg injury.

In the season's first three weeks, the Flyers have had all four lines contributing in most games. Not Tuesday. Sean Couturier's line was the only unit that was dangerous; it combined for two goals, 13 shots and a plus-5 rating. The other lines had little offensive-zone time.