The numbers tell the story in the Flyers’ recent run of success. Now, it’s all about consistency.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba ― The Flyers liked their five-on-five game on Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings.

The only problem was they were barely at that strength. Almost six minutes of the first two periods of the 6-3 loss were played at some form of four-on-four, or special teams. The third period had just four minutes of that, but by then it was too late as players were riding the pine for long stretches.

“[Alex] Bump sitting on the bench and [Denver] Barkey,” coach Rick Tocchet said in Michigan, in reference to two players who do not partake in the Flyers’ power play or penalty kill. “Yeah, it [stinks] because they sit on the bench and they can’t get their legs going.”

And it’s a shame because the Flyers at five-on-five are besting their opponents. Take away the Red Wings’ three power-play goals and shorthanded tally, as well as the Flyers’ power-play tally, and the two teams would have tied, 2-2.

It is a trend the Orange and Black have had since the Olympic break.

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According to Natural Stat Trick, although they have 48.1% of the shot attempts at five-on-five in their past 23 games, the Flyers have 50.58% of the shots and 57.53% of the goals (42-31), which ranks sixth in the NHL. The 31 goals against are the second fewest allowed behind the St. Louis Blues’ 26.

“We’ve done a few things to tweak it, but I think obviously personnel, ... we want to play quicker, get the D to [be the] first pass up, play a little bit more,” Tocchet said before Saturday’s game against the Jets about the Flyers being better off the rush as of late.

“But I still think we have to be a better forechecking team. You can’t just live off the rush. I think you know, if you look at the Colorado’s ... Montreal, they’re really good on forechecking. So that’s what we really [need to] get back to our forechecking game.”

They are also crushing the opposition in high-danger chances at 202-168, scoring 26 times to just 11 against. It’s a far cry from January, when it seemed like every goal was scored by opponents either atop the crease, in the bumper, or weak-side at a post.

Although the Flyers’ Corsi For percentage is similar to the 56 games before the Olympics halted the season (48.02%), the biggest difference is that they are burying the puck more now. At the break, they were outscored 110-114 overall and 49-52 from high-danger spots.

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“I think we’re starting to get more people to the net,” Tocchet said about changes offensively that have helped shift the offensive game.

“We’re getting more shots in the last 20, 25 games, and that’s the D being available and getting the pucks through to the net. So, I mean, at this time of year, you see, most of the goals, it’s usually rebounds, it’s usually stuff around the paint, and we’re a lot better than we were 20 games ago with stuff around the paint.”

It’s a good thing that the Flyers have been good at five-on-five, considering how poorly things are going for their special teams.

The penalty kill has been hot and cold lately. It sits at 77.3% for the season (22nd in the league), but is just 9-for-16 or 56.3% across the previous six games. When you look at the big picture, the power play is back in the basement at 15.6%. It has gotten slightly better since Porter Martone joined the ranks — 15.8% — with both of his two NHL goals coming with the man advantage.

They’ll need to stay out of the box when facing a Jets team that is firing at 44.4% on the power play since Martone’s March 31 debut.

“It’s like any game, but especially now, you’ve got to really be under control,” said Tocchet. “You want to be aggressive. You want to get to the net, and you want to push back. But after the whistle stuff at this time of year really doesn’t matter. I think it’s something that we’ve got to stay away from.”

Hockey Hall of Famer Chris Pronger joins The Inquirer’s Gameday Central, hosted by Flyers reporter Jackie Spiegel, for a candid conversation on leadership, adversity, and what it really takes to win—alongside insights from his new memoir Earned: The True Cost of Greatness.

Watch the full interview live here on Monday at 3 p.m.