Bill Meltzer: Wrap: Flyers Hit Midpoint, Beat Isles 4-3

Loved to see Giroux lead the way last night , came out with a shoot first mentality and factored in on 3 goals. That screen was great on the game winner. Nice to see that line click, in limited minutes too

Good morning Flyers fans. It is a chilly Friday. College bball all day, what more can one ask for?

Thanks Bill, another stat comparison I would like to see is "quality scoring chances against", because I would imagine its much higher this year than last year. Also I think the PK has taken a significant step back this year. I was surprised that the giveaways is down from last year, my eyes tell me a different story.

Good morning Flyers fans. It is a chilly Friday. College bball all day, what more can one ask for?
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I would rather watch grass freeze than College Bball!

Only a handful of giveaways per game? Is this a reliable stat? I see us giving it away in our d zone that often per period.

Kudos to Phil Myers, quite a bounce back game for him.

Claude led the way, again.

AV played the absolute crap out of the Coots line. They saw defensemen's minutes.

I love to see Myers and Sanheim on the ice in the final minute securing the victory after a -6 night for the pair the night before. It's a learning process.

Nice win. While I would have loved to see a 3-0 final, I'll take the two points. Big game on Saturday.

AV played the absolute crap out of the Coots line. They saw defensemen's minutes.
- Tomahawk

The flip side you need a bottom pair to eat more than 12/13 minutes a night. That to me is the easiest way to go about addressing the d; if they choose that route. Also cant keep playing Braun 21/22 minutes a night.

The flip side you need a bottom pair to eat more than 12/13 minutes a night. That to me is the easiest way to go about addressing the d; if they choose that route. Also cant keep playing Braun 21/22 minutes a night.
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Maybe a fluke, but Gus and Prosser were oddly effective in those limited minutes. Think they only gave up one or two shot attempts for the night. Gus was at 100% xGF% lol.

I found some additional comparison stats. Last year the Flyers were 7th and 8th in the league respectively in xGA (Expected Goals Against) and HDCA (High Danger Changes against). This year so far they have dropped to 11th and 12th respectively which is not as bad as I thought it would be. Furthermore this year the Flyers are 29th in the league in HDSV% (High Danger Save percentage) while last year they were 7th in the league. This points clearly to the goalies not playing as well this year as they were last year!

These numbers courtesy of NaturalStatTrick.

Maybe a fluke, but Gus and Prosser were oddly effective in those limited minutes. Think they only gave up one or two shot attempts for the night. Gus was at 100% xGF% lol.
- Tomahawk

Yes, both played well. Flyers were strong in puck battles, good on the forecheck. Solid in coverage for most of the night. Bad positioning on a 1-1-3 neutral zone forecheck led to a rush goal and then multiple mix ups in a coverage led to another. Hart should've made at least one of those saves if not two of them.

I found some additional comparison stats. Last year the Flyers were 7th and 8th in the league respectively in xGA (Expected Goals Against) and HDCA (High Danger Changes against). This year so far they have dropped to 11th and 12th respectively which is not as bad as I thought it would be. Furthermore this year the Flyers are 29th in the league in HDSV% (High Danger Save percentage) while last year they were 7th in the league. This points clearly to the goalies not playing as well this year as they were last year!

These numbers courtesy of NaturalStatTrick.
- jd250

Not necessarily. Those stats have to be taken with a grain of salt. Even among high danger chances there are major differences. The Flyers breakdowns have been epically bad. It's a combination of things and it does not just point to goalies not playing as well. Although that is certainly part of it. Goaltending and team defense is symbiotic.

Maybe a fluke, but Gus and Prosser were oddly effective in those limited minutes. Think they only gave up one or two shot attempts for the night. Gus was at 100% xGF% lol.
- Tomahawk

They are not the answer; we know this as don't trust them in any way. Spot game here and there is best scenario.

Did last nights game help or still hurt Harts struggle in his head?

Not necessarily. Those stats have to be taken with a grain of salt. Even among high danger chances there are major differences. The Flyers breakdowns have been epically bad. It's a combination of things and it does not just point to goalies not playing as well. Although that is certainly part of it. Goaltending and team defense is symbiotic.
- MJL

The Flyers as a team are giving up more high danger chances than they were last year, but the goalies have dipped in HDSV% much more significantly. You yourself just posted that Hart should have saved one or more of those 3rd period chances last night. AV has said no team is going to be perfect and your goalie has to come up big from time to time. So these numbers support all of that. The goalies have to be better, which we all know just by watching. But I am still completely on board with Hart, these are growing pains that every young goalie goes through and this is one example where you have to let the goalie play through it.

Did last nights game help or still hurt Harts struggle in his head?
- Buzzo

If I were Hart this morning, I would be down on myself, especially for letting that first goal in, which seemed to open the floodgates against a fragile team. As a player, you are relieved when the team wins, but you don't feel good about yourself. Still Hart has to play through this, what else can he do?

The Flyers as a team are giving up more high danger chances than they were last year, but the goalies have dipped in HDSV% much more significantly. You yourself just posted that Hart should have saved one or more of those 3rd period chances last night. AV has said no team is going to be perfect and your goalie has to come up big from time to time. So these numbers support all of that. The goalies have to be better, which we all know just by watching. But I am still completely on board with Hart, these are growing pains that every young goalie goes through and this is one example where you have to let the goalie play through it.
- jd250

Again, here is the fundamental truth of the sport. It is a team game. Post after post, you want to single out individual players you have a bias against. When it comes to high danger SV%, it is not just on the goalies. This is a team wide issue. It's not just on the goalies. It's not just on the defenseman. It is on the entire team. Hart should've made some saves on the goals. The Flyers coverage should've been better on the goals. The point is not that the goalies don't have to be better. We all know they do. We also know the entire team needs to be better defensively. I'm willing to bet that if the Flyers team defense tightens up, the goaltending will get better. The Flyers goalies high danger SV% is a s much an indictment on the extreme quality of chances give up as it is on the goalies.

If I were Hart this morning, I would be down on myself, especially for letting that first goal in, which seemed to open the floodgates against a fragile team. As a player, you are relieved when the team wins, but you don't feel good about yourself. Still Hart has to play through this, what else can he do?
- jd250

If I were Hart, I wouldn't waste time being down on myself. I would focus on getting better and work with the goaltending coach.

If I were Hart, I wouldn't waste time being down on myself. I would focus on getting better and work with the goaltending coach.
- MJL

You can't help the way you feel! Its far from a waste of time! In fact its motivation for him to do exactly that, get back on the ice and continue to work.

There is no word to aptly describe that embarrassing debacle versus the Rangers, but one good word to describe last night would be heart. After blowing a 3-0 lead in a handful of 3rd period minutes, on the road to a team who had not lost at home in regulation, the Flyers found a way to dig down and pull out a two-point win.
Surely, they were far from perfect, but a loss in that fashion would have been, in many ways, more impactful than the 9-0 drubbing.
Hart will have to work his way out of this by playing games because there are very few practices being held due to the schedule. Also, this team needs to find a way to buckle down leads, especially against the better teams.
Of course, last night is for naught without duplicating this effort (if not the result) on Saturday night.

The Flyers as a team are giving up more high danger chances than they were last year, but the goalies have dipped in HDSV% much more significantly. You yourself just posted that Hart should have saved one or more of those 3rd period chances last night. AV has said no team is going to be perfect and your goalie has to come up big from time to time. So these numbers support all of that. The goalies have to be better, which we all know just by watching. But I am still completely on board with Hart, these are growing pains that every young goalie goes through and this is one example where you have to let the goalie play through it.
- jd250

Outside of a few elite superstars, most goaltenders experience significant variance in situational SV%s from year to year. Maybe not as wide a swing as Hart has, but still variable.

What can be controlled is how well your team plays in front of your goalies. Limit high danger chances as much as possible -- protect against cross-ice plays that open goalies up and keep everything to the outside so your goalie isn't 1v1.

Tippett and Trotz teams are famous for this, and it's why their goalies always have higher SV%s.

The Flyers goalies high danger SV% is a s much an indictment on the extreme quality of chances give up as it is on the goalies.
- MJL

Yes, it illustrates just how bad a lot of the defensive breakdowns have been.