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Meltzer's Musings: 3/21/11 |
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With all the discussion about the Flyers inability to protect leads this season, I decided to look back at all the games the club has played this calendar year (starting with the Jan. 2 game in Detroit) to see how many times the Flyers have blown leads or nearly blown leads. Here are my (unverified) findings:
* In seven games, the Flyers have been unable to protect third-period leads -- not necessarily leads after two periods, but games where they led at some point in the third period. Most notably, they blew a 3-0 lead to Atlanta in the 5-4 overtime loss at home to Atlanta on March 16. In addition, they saw three different one goal leads go by the wayside in the third period (and four one-goal leads overall) in a 7-5 loss in Boston on January 13.
*In four games since New Years, a Flyers' opponent has come back to erase a two-goal (three times) and/or three goal (once) deficit at some point in the game. The club has also lost 2/3 of a three-goal lead on three additional occasions without giving up a tying goal.
* Overall, there have been 12 games since New Year's in which the Flyers have led by at least one goal at some point only to see the other team tie the game or take over the lead at some point. The Flyers have held and lost multiple one-goal leads in four games.
* Prior to the Christmas hiatus, the most notable blown leads by the Flyers this season occurred in the 5-4 overtime loss at home to San Jose on Dec. 8 (the Flyers held a 3-1 lead midway through the third period before San Jose struck for two goals within 37 seconds) and the 8-7 loss at home to Tampa Bay on Nov. 11 (Flyers held first-period leads of 2-0, 3-2 and 5-3, and a 7-5 lead in the second period).
People only tend to dwell on a blown lead when the game turns into a loss. Since the All-Star break, the Flyers have lost four games (two in regulation, two in overtime) that they led at one point and have twice needed shootouts to win, including Saturday night's game in Dallas.
Honestly, I don't know what the main reason is for the club's problems putting teams away when they build a lead. Of late, I think it's become a bit psychological, as the team is well aware of the issue. Whatever the case, the Flyers had better start doing a better job of closing out games by the time the playoffs start.
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The Flyers' did not handle the junk food diet of (mostly) non-playoff teams they saw in late February and early-to-mid March very well. Hopefully, Saturday's hard-fought shootout win over a quality Dallas Stars team will be good preparation for the extremely challenging run of games to come, starting with tomorrow night's showdown with the Capitals.
Washington had yet to hit its stride when they last met the Flyers on Jan. 18. Nevertheless, they showed how dangerous they are when they turned a 2-0 third-period deficit into a 2-2 tie in the span of 40 seconds on goals by ex-Flyer Mike Knuble and Alex Ovechkin. The Caps' recent loss in Detroit aside, you'd be hard pressed to find a team in the NHL that has played better hockey in March than Washington.
After the Caps tilt, the Flyers square off at the Wells Fargo Center with Pittsburgh on Thursday. Then they travel to Long Island for a potential trap game against the Islanders on Saturday, followed up immediately by a return home to play the Bruins on Sunday. Two nights later, the Flyers head to Pittsburgh.
Next Thursday, they play the Atlanta Thrashers (who have now beaten the Flyers in six of the last seven games after years of Flyers' domination) for the third time this month. The weekend sees the Flyers play the Devils in New Jersey on April Fool's Day and an NBC game at home against the Rangers on April 3.
We're about to learn a lot about the Flyers' true readiness for the playoffs.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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