After earning just nine points in their first 15 games, the Flyers have earned nine points in their last five games…but have they turned the corner?
Their power play is more productive (scoring once on every three chances compared to one in ten) and certainly more consistent in their efforts on the man advantage, but their penalty kill has gotten much worse (allowing nearly one PPG on every three chances as opposed to one every six) which is essentially a wash.
They are still taking too many undisciplined penalties and putting themselves in situations they don't want to be in. In fact, of the seven goals they've allowed over the past five games six have happened with a man in the penalty box. On the flip side, this means they're playing better defensively 5-on-5 which is giving them more opportunities offensively 5-on-5 and they're cashing in on a more regular basis.
With the exception of Adam Hall, who is an absolute stud in the face-off circle consistently winning three out of four chances, they're inconsistent in their efforts to control possession and they're not aggressive enough with their forecheck and are still coughing up the puck more than they're forcing turnovers.
But they're scoring more than their opponents and finding ways to win and in the end that's all that really matters. It doesn't matter how those goals went in, just that they had a group hug and buzzed the bench more than their opponent before the final buzzer.
So while things are looking up in Flyer-land, especially with the Sabres, Islanders and Panthers on deck, let's remember that they dug themselves a rather deep hole to start the season and they have yet to climb out of it. There is still quite a bit of room for improvement, but morale is up, the guys that are supposed to be scoring are scoring, lines are clicking, the power play is effective and they're playing more responsible in their own end and supporting Mason just a bit more with their defensive efforts.
To answer my own question, I don't think they've turned the corner just yet, but I think they're standing on the corner and only they can decide which way they want to go. These next three games are huge.
Julie
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