Flyers look to make it two in a row as they continue to try and build a winning culture

The Flyers are out of playoff contention, but that hasn’t affected their desire to go out and win.

While they can’t do much to change their postseason outlook, creating a winning culture can impact the organization past the 2021-22 season. Interim coach Mike Yeo has spoken numerous times about building the right habits and getting the process right. If they aren’t established now, those things won’t suddenly improve with the turn of a season.

» READ MORE: The Flyers send Morgan Frost to develop with the Phantoms

“I don’t think that it would serve as any good whatsoever just to mail in these games and develop bad habits and in particular, have that kind of attitude, that kind of character and expect that things are going to be different next year, ‘cause that’s not the case,” Yeo said. “We have to develop them right now and then once we develop that pride and that respect ... we’ll carry that into next season with us.”

The right habits will eventually turn into results, Yeo said, and results lead to confidence. That confidence can also be a foundation for the future. Results can also help players become more valuable for a trade or those going into free agency earn more money. Finally, it can help sell free agents on coming to Philadelphia.

The Flyers had started to get the process right after the All-Star break with narrow defeats to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Washington Capitals and the Carolina Hurricanes. They finally were rewarded for their efforts Saturday when they beat the Capitals 2-1. The win was an important first step, but getting the next one is just as important.

“We don’t want to be a team that’s just satisfied winning one game,” Yeo said.

The Flyers have won consecutive games only five times this season. They did it twice in the first six games and then didn’t win back-to-back games again until just before the holiday break, two months later.

Then the second double-digit game losing streak came. When they broke it, they were able to put two wins together, but then they headed into the All-Star break. Although they finally won a game after six straight defeats, Yeo wasn’t satisfied. He pointed out there’s still work to be done, and they can’t just sit back and let out a sigh of relief.

“Let’s keep building here. The message is it’s nice that we won a game, and obviously we take from that game what we need to be better at in our third period in particular,” Yeo said. “We’ve got to get greedy now and again, hopefully last game serves and offers us a little bit of confidence. But not going to do much for us unless we build off it.”

Walking away with two points against the Edmonton Oilers will be an important step in the Flyers’ effort to build a winning culture. But they’re going to have to go up against two of the best players in the league to get those two points.

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are two of the top scorers in the league. McDavid has 75 points, which is tied for first, and Draisaitl has 74. How does one defend against players of that caliber?

“Well, that’s a great question,” Yeo said with a little laugh. “One I think coaches around the league are trying to figure it out.”

Yeo said it will be important not to change their game to their opponent but to make the opponent change to play them.

» READ MORE: Could Derick Brassard become a trade chip for the Flyers?

To add to the challenge of McDavid and Draisaitl, the Oilers are a desperate team. With 61 points, they are fourth in the Pacific Division and tied for eighth in the Western Conference. Every game is significant as they try to secure a playoff spot.

“They’re on the outside, they’re right there as far as that playoff push that they’re in that mindset,” Yeo said. “So that’ll be a good challenge for us to see if we can match that desperation.”

The Flyers host the Oilers at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. The Oilers are 29-21-3. ... Derick Brassard was not at morning skate. Yeo said it was an optional one, so Brassard was just saving it for the game. ... Carter Hart will start in net.