Undefeated against the Islanders, Flyers look to rebound from historic defeat; Robert Hagg injured
The Flyers will be trying to rebound from a loss for the ages against the powerful Islanders.
The Islanders are tied with Washington for the most points (42) in the East Division. The Flyers (31 points) are three points behind Boston for the final East Division playoff spot. The Isles are allowing 2.2 goals per game; the Flyers are surrendering 3.5.
You don’t need to be Al Arbour to connect the dots.
The Islanders, who host the Flyers Thursday, are the NHL’s best defensive team, while Philadelphia, coming off Wednesday’s 9-0 train wreck to the Rangers, is 29th in the 31-team league.
Can the Flyers rebound from their worst road shutout loss in franchise history? Is their 2-0 record against the Islanders this year enough to give them some confidence?
“The effort has got to be better,” captain Claude Giroux said after the loss. “It’s not one or two guys. It’s everybody (who) has to be better. ... It’s unacceptable. There needs to be an answer (Thursday).”
» READ MORE: Claude Giroux and the Flyers are embarrassed after the Rangers game ... and they ought to be | On the Fly
The Islanders have points in 20 of their last 23 games (16-3-4). They have won their last six games at Nassau Coliseum and have a 14-game home point streak (12-0-2). New York is the only NHL team with a point in every home game this season.
While the Flyers are coming off one of the most embarrassing losses in franchise history, the Islanders are trying to rebound from Tuesday’s 3-1 defeat to Washington, which ended their nine-game winning streak.
The Flyers scored 3-2 and 4-3 overtime wins over the Islanders on consecutive days in late January. Scott Laughton and Kevin Hayes scored the OT goals in the respective games. Giroux has 58 points (18-40) in 54 career games against the Isles, an average of 1.07 points per game.
Matt Barzal has feasted on the Flyers, collecting 20 points (7-13) in 13 games against them, an average of 1.54 points per game.
Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello is working the phones to replace 6-foot-3, 235-pound left winger Anders Lee (12 goals in 27 games), who will miss the rest of the season because of a torn ACL. Taylor Hall is among the candidates to be acquired to replace Lee, the team’s captain. Lee is tied with Brock Nelson with a team-high 12 goals.
In the Flyers’ two wins over the Isles this season, Lee had a total of eight shots, one assist, and no goals. Even without Lee, the Islanders are a force because of their system and their pristine defense.
» READ MORE: What else can you say about the Flyers’ 9-0 loss to the Rangers? Here are a few things.
Hagg injured
Defenseman Robert Hagg suffered an undisclosed upper-body injury Wednesday and was placed on the injured-reserve list.
The Flyers recalled defenseman Nate Prosser, winger Carsen Twarynski, and goalie Alex Lyon from the taxi squad. Lyon is expected to serve as Carter Hart’s backup tonight. It would be shocking if Lyon started. Then again, nothing was more shocking than allowing seven goals in one period, so anything is possible.
Alain Vigneault will reveal his lineup at 4:30 p.m.
Leftovers from drubbing
The Flyers’ 9-0 wipeout Wednesday tied for the second-most-decisive loss in franchise history. The only one worse: a 12-0 loss to Chicago on Jan. 30, 1969.
It joins an 11-2 loss at Montreal on Oct. 27, 1981, for second on the list for biggest margin of defeat.
Travis Sanheim and Phil Myers were each minus-6, equaling a franchise record done nine times.
The game marked just the 20th occasion in 4,142 regular-season games that the Flyers allowed nine or more goals in a game.
Breakaways
Isles coach Barry Trotz said all of his players are available, except 6-4, 195-pound defenseman Noah Dobson, who is on the COVID-19 protocol list. He has 12 points and a plus-6 rating in 28 games. ... The Flyers have allowed three or more goals in their last nine games.