Flyers’ fourth line of Sean Couturier, Noel Acciari, and Denver Barkey has become a bright spot
While they have only officially been together for two games, among the 22 Flyers line combinations that have played at least 10 minutes together this season, they already rank No. 2 in goals scored.
VANCOUVER, B.C. — The Flyers’ fourth line has changed in the past few years.
From a trio of heavy hitters to last season’s iterations that struggled to find the back of the net, the Flyers have not had much luck finding a consistent fourth line capable of producing offense.
That is, until now?
Veterans Sean Couturier and Noel Acciari have been officially joined by sophomore forward Denver Barkey since Thursday, and the trio seems to be clicking.
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In the past two games, Acciari has notched two goals — one off a nifty pass from Barkey for a tap-in — and Barkey opened the scoring on Sunday against the Calgary Flames. The trio has six points, with Couturier chipping in two assists.
“Barks, he’s a really skilled player, so trying to use that as much as we can when we’re out there,” Couturier said of the youngest member of the line after Sunday’s loss to the Flames. Barkey is 21, while Couturier is 33 and Acciari will be 35 on Dec. 1.
“Trying to just play a simple game, but let our skill take over once we’re in the [offensive] zone. I thought he’s doing a good job not only of playing offensively but doing the little things right in our end to get down in the O zone. So yeah, hopefully we can, as a line, maybe build on that.”
According to Natural Stat Trick, across 16 minutes, 42 seconds at five-on-five, the trio has 19 shot attempts to the opposition’s 14 — seven of the Flyers’ shot attempts are from high-danger spots with one against — have 10 scoring chances and are outshooting opponents 11-3.
They are the only line with all three players on the positive side of the plus-minus. Acciari is plus-3, and his linemates are plus-2.
And while they are also outscoring the opposition 3-1, that one goal against stings more. On Thursday night at Madison Square Garden, Tye Karyte scored off an Adam Fox stretch pass after Couturier got stuck in no man’s land to hand the New York Rangers a comeback win.
“I think we stopped moving our feet,” Barkey said of the overall Flyers’ issues in the third period Thursday that allowed the Rangers to score twice for a 3-2 win. “I think we got on our heels, and we’re just focusing more on keeping the puck out of the net. And, I think we’re at our best when we’re on our toes, and we’re continuously executing our game plan for 60 minutes. And I think we just got away from that tonight in the third.”
As the Flyers try to overcome a terrible 4-10-5 start, having a fourth line that can control the boards, put pressure on opponents, and find the back of the net is key.
» READ MORE: Flyers need to play with ‘confidence’ to convert on missed opportunities: ‘You just got to hit the net’
Coach Rick Tocchet likes to roll lines, and while they have only officially been together for two games, among the 22 line combinations that have played at least 10 minutes together this season for the Flyers, they already rank No. 2 in goals scored and fifth in expected goals for (1.05).
The one line that has put the puck in the back of the net more? The Matvei Michkov, Porter Martone, and Noah Cates line, who were reunited on Sunday. They have scored five goals — while allowing five — and have a 2.53 expected goals for.
Breakaways
Joseph Woll is expected to start on Monday against the Vancouver Canucks (9:30 p.m., NBCSP) after Dan Vladař was in net Sunday. In three career starts against Vancouver, Woll is 2-1-0 with a 1.31 goals-against average, .925 save percentage, and has one shutout. … Vancouver ranks last in the league with a .184 points percentage (3-15-7) while the Flyers are last in the Eastern Conference (.342). The Canucks, whom Tocchet coached before joining the Flyers, have lost five straight, have one win at home, and have averaged the most goals scored against in the NHL (4.58).
