Three storylines as Flyers play last game before the Olympic break

Well, how 'bout that? The Philadelphia Flyers snapped their four-game losing streak against the Washington Capitals, winning 4-2. You'd be forgiven if you forgot the score, considering the press conference from GM Danny Briere ahead of the game in response to the drama that's been percolating the last few days between Matvei Michkov and head coach Rick Tocchet.

It was a solid effort from the Flyers, though, featuring yet another multipoint game from Travis Konecny (the best player on the team?), a nice assist from Michkov, and Rasmus Ristolainen's first goal of the season. The team managed to tune out the noise, buckle down, and get a much-needed win.

Tonight, they host the Ottawa Senators (miss you, Claude!), who have had their own share of drama the last month or so. In brief, goaltender Linus Ullmark underperformed for most of the season, took a leave of absence to focus on his mental health, and then several ugly rumors about the team began to spread with Ullmark at the center of them.

The team struggled without their starting goalie, and their second- and third-string netminders weren't good enough to fill the void. Now, the Sens are 27-22-7 on the season, and one standings point ahead of the Flyers — in other words, not quite living up to expectations after they made the playoffs last year.

Three Storylines

Finishing strong

The Olympic break is upon us, and a few Flyers will be headed to Milan to represent their countries. While the Flyers' playoff hopes have grown more distant after their losing streaks, they're still only a few points back from third in the Metropolitan Division. Coming out tonight, playing well, and getting a win could do a lot for the player's mental health, so they can go into the break with their heads held high.

Not blowing leads

It's well-documented now that the Flyers often allow the first goal and are forced to come from behind, but they can't seem to hold on to a lead, either. In Tuesday's game, they scored two goals, allowed two, and only won off a Jamie Drysdale power-play (yes, power play!) goal. The Flyers need to put the pressure on when they're ahead, or at the very least stop letting teams get back into games.

Dan Vladar, the star that you are

The Flyers would've had no chance against the Caps if not for Vladar. He was sensational, posting a .929 save percentage and allowing only two goals on 28 shots. He's apparently stepped up as a leader in the locker room, as well.

It's a night-and-day difference for this team when Vladar's in net, and he continuously gives them a chance. They'll need him tonight against a Senators team that's trying to prove they deserve to get back in the playoff race.