Flyers’ Joel Farabee is contributing in other ways through 14-game goal drought
The last time the forward scored was against the Ottawa Senators, who the Flyers will take on Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Center.
Joel Farabee is taking his goal drought in stride.
Literally.
Toward the end of the Flyers’ practice on Thursday, the upstate New York native was having some fun with exaggerated skating as he shoveled the ice for him and his buddies to play a game of 2 puck. Watching as he made his teammates chuckle, you wouldn’t think he was a guy who hasn’t scored in 14 games.
“I think he’s matured since he first came into the league. You go through slumps and he doesn’t seem to let it affect him as much as he used to,” Sean Couturier said. “Obviously it’s frustrating, I’m sure, but he’s contributing in other ways and helping out the team in any way he can.”
“It’s probably one of his best attributes,” added Garnet Hathaway about Farabee’s ability to not let the lack of production keep his spirits down. “I’m sure he’s hard on himself like most guys in the NHL are. But he holds himself to such a high standard and he knows the potential he can play at. So, yeah, he’s a funny guy. I enjoy him a lot, hanging out in the room. I know a lot of guys love spending time with him, love being around him.”
While Farabee has looked to the heavens a few times in recent games — he has 33 shots on goal, second most on the Flyers in the past 14 games — the forward is taking care of business outside of scoring. He has five assists while averaging 18 minutes, 19 seconds of ice time, the most among forwards who have played in each of the 14 games. His plus-minus is an ugly minus-11 but at five-on-five, the Flyers have more shot attempts for than against.
And there have been several times where he made the right play and was the key creator in a goal but didn’t get the assist as he touched the puck too far back or, like against the Washington Capitals on Friday night, he set the screen that allowed Owen Tippett to score a power-play goal.
“He’s so big for our team. You see that hit he had [against the Tampa Bay Lightning] that started us,” Hathaway said before the Flyers’ 5-2 loss to the Capitals on Friday. “I would say he brings a lot of different things to his game, but his defensive-minded game, I think he has an awesome stick in the D zone.
“I think that helps transition and his vision I think will create a lot of plays for a lot of people. I think he had that pass to [Sean Walker] last game, which I don’t think a lot of people can hold off a D-man to make a seam pass to a guy streaking in.”
The good news for Farabee is the last time he scored was against the Ottawa Senators — the team the Flyers were playing on Saturday night (7 p.m. on NBCSP). In 10 career games against the Senators, he has six points (two goals, four assists).
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Farabee, a 2018 first-rounder, is also having one of his best NHL seasons despite the goal drought. He has 44 points (17 goals, 27 assists) in 61 games — averaging 0.72 points per game. Considered a leader in the room, across his 313 career games, he has 77 goals and 99 assists.
“He’s a really good teammate, so that’s what you want, especially when you’re going through tough times, you want to stay involved with the team and make sure you do what’s right for the best of the team,” Couturier said.