The Philadelphia Flyers need to be more consistent

The Philadelphia Flyers have struggled this season, and one of the reasons lies in their consistency on the ice.

With a 5-7-0 record in 12 games to start the 2018-19 season, it’s safe to say the Philadelphia Flyers could have had a better start. They’ve dealt with plenty of injuries already with James van Riemsdyk and Michael Raffl being the most notable, but that can’t be an excuse for such inconsistent play from the team.

The Flyers finally broke a three game losing streak after defeating the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 Tuesday night. While it was nice to see the team finally pull together for the victory, this is a problem. Philadelphia also had a two game losing streak earlier in the season, and have went on to go back-and-forth between wins and losses. The Flyers don’t have a winning streak so far this year, either, and that’s a big issue for a team that’s supposed to contend for a playoff spot.

Some of the inconsistency lies in player personnel. Claude Giroux has 13 points (3 Goals, 10 Assists) in 12 games this season. Don’t get me wrong, Giroux has been very good this year, but his point production has come in bunches. Giroux had a three game pointless streak before Tuesday’s game against Anaheim, which can’t happen again. The same can be said for Jakub Voracek.

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Voracek is one of two players to score five points in a game this year, along with Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brayden Point. Since that performance against the Ottawa Senators, Voracek has just four points in eight games and is currently riding a three game pointless streak of his own. That is unacceptable for one of the leaders in the locker room.

Wayne Simmonds also has had a consistency issue to begin the year. After starting the season with four points in three games, Simmonds has just three points in his last nine games. The Flyers need more consistent play from their core players, because when they show up the team normally performs better.

The entire team as a whole is also just as inconsistent. In their last four games, Philadelphia has scored a total of five goals with three of them coming against the Ducks. The Flyers have eclipsed that number four times in a single game this season. With the defense constantly having problems in their own zone, the offense has to start scoring at a consistent rate.

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The Flyers are in a playoffs-or-bust year with their current core players not getting any younger. Stringing a couple of good performances together would help with the teams’ confidence, but that’s easier said than done. They will have a chance to do so when they play the Kings in Los Angeles on Thursday night in another late-night hockey game for the Orange and Black. All we can do is hope they can realize their potential.

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