The Flyers poor play in the first period allowed the Islanders to build a lead that proved to be insurmountable as the Islanders cruised to an easy 6-1 victory.
First Period
CF:14 CA:18 CF%: 43.75% ZENO:3
The Flyers ended the period trailing by three goals, which seemed to be excessive given the four chance difference between the teams. Play between the blue lines was fairly even but the Flyers play in the defensive zone was a mini mx of all of the season’s woes.
Bad turnovers, bad penalty killing, bad defensive zone coverage and bad luck on the Flyers part were the keys to the lead the Islanders staked. It is the same problems time and again it is more a result of team defense than poor goaltending.
Second Period
CF13: CA:13 CF%: 50% ZENO:5
The second period saw the Islanders play a very patient and controlled game that featured defensive play that smothered the Flyers offense. While the corsi battle would end in draw for the period, the Islanders got the more dangerous opportunities.
Philadelphia had great difficulty converting anything into dangerous scoring chances The shooting lanes were clogged and the Flyers never seemed to have time to complete passes for high danger chances.
Third Period
CF9: CA:16 CF%: 36% ZENO:2
The Flyers were at the Islanders mercy for much of the period, punctuated by defensive zone difficulties and the Islanders smothering their offensive spark. The Islanders showed just how adept they are at protecting leads and continually thwarted Flyers entries. On the occasions that they did get control in the offensive zone, the Islanders successfully disrupted shot attempts.
For the Flyers part they kept things simple, dumping the puck in and trying to retrieve it. This is a fine tactic, it eliminates neutral zone turnovers for the most part, which have plagued the team. But the other part of the contract is the expectation of solid coverage in the defensive zone, which has not happened for several weeks.
Corsi Winner
NYI LW Michael Dal Colle CF:16 CA:6 CF%:72.73%
Dal Colle was a presence tonight, and though he did not crack the score sheet, he was able to make life difficult for the Flyers on the forecheck. He looks to be finding his game which is a good news for the Islanders, who must have wondered how long it would take the former first round pick to contribute.
Corsi Loser:
PHI LW Carsen Twarynski CF:6 CA:12 CF%: 33.33%
Twarynski spent a lot time in his own end, which stunts his forecheck based game. His low possession metrics does should not be overblown, though. The team had a bad night, and his possession numbers reflect that.
But the metrics are more telling of the struggles of Nolan Patrick, Myers and Sanheim than his own play. Twarynski was not involved in the puck battles the team lost, though maybe he should have been, nor was he part of the dicey clears that the team made.
Twarynski is made for the forecheck, and the time spent pinned in his own end made it hard for him to be at his most effective.
Conclusion
CF:36 CA:47 CF%43.47 ZENO:10
This was another bad game for the Flyers, who had problems with turnovers and bad defensive zone coverage. The corsi numbers were an accurate measurement of the game, though Islander possession had more to do with keeping the Flyers off the board, than with a dominating performance in the Flyers end.
One has to guess that the coaching staff is seeing the problems, but have not found a way to communicate it to the players in a way where they respond. The coverage in the defensive zone is really bad, and it will be hard to win any game, no matter the possession metrics, until it gets fixed. The Flyers need to find a way to improve if they have any hope of qualifying for the playoffs.