RAV4 Things: Flyers @ Islanders

Rick Tocchet’s Philadelphia Flyers (37-26-12) are in Elmont on Friday to tackle Patrick Roy’s New York Islanders (42-29-5). This is the fourth and closing recreation of the season sequence between the groups. The Flyers are 2-1-0 in opposition to the Islanders thus far this season. Both wins got here through shootout victories.

Game time at UBS Arena is 7:00 pm EDT. The recreation will likely be televised on NBCSP+ and NHL Network.

All three groups in closest proximity to the third-place spot within the Metropolitan Division — the Islanders (89 factors, 29 regulation wins), Columbus Blue Jackets (88 factors, 27 RW) and Flyers (86 factors, 23 RW) — have misplaced back-to-back video games in regulation.

On Thursday at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, the Flyers misplaced a 4-2 contest with the Detroit Red Wings. Philly by no means led at any level of the night time however managed puck possession and had extra scoring possibilities all through the night time. However, solely outcomes matter (particularly by this late stage of the season). The Flyers squandered one of many two video games in hand that they had on the Islanders coming into the night time.

In a dropping trigger, Tyson Foerster (eleventh purpose of the season) marked his return to the lineup for the primary time since struggling an higher physique damage on December 1. Rookie proper wing Porter Martone made his dwelling debut with 9 pictures on purpose (14 shot makes an attempt) and the first help on a 3rd interval purpose by Travis Konecny ​​(twenty seventh).

Idle on Thursday, the Islanders dropped each ends of a back-to-back earlier this week. On Tuesday, Islanders led the Pittsburgh Penguins by scores of 2-0 and 3-1 early within the second interval. However, Pittsburgh exploded for seven unanswered objectives to defeat the Islanders by an 8-3 rely. The subsequent night time, the host Buffalo Sabers beat the Islanders, 4-3.

Islanders captain Anders Lee had an unsuccessful penalty shot try within the second interval with New York trailing 1-0. Lee later scored his 18th purpose of the season. Former Flyers middle Brayden Schenn had a purpose (seventeenth) and an help in a dropping trigger. Calum Ritchie (twelfth) had the opposite purpose. Bo Horvat assisted on all three Islanders objectives.

Here are the RAV4 Things to observe on Thursday.

1. Hit the web

After Thursday’s loss to Detroit, Tocchet reiterated two recurring themes which have plagued the Flyers in quite a few losses the place their normal course of was good however the end result was damaging. The first problem: lacking the web on shot makes an attempt (or passing up open shot lanes in search of a “perfect” play). Against the Red Wings, the Flyers missed the web on a whopping 21 shot makes an attempt. Philly would win puck battles, get visitors to the web after which hearth large or excessive.

There had been additionally a handful of preliminary pictures that made it on the web and produced a rebound however the second try missed. Philly additionally had 17 shot makes an attempt get blocked. In whole, the Flyers had a mixed 38 shot makes an attempt that didn’t get to the opposing goaltender in opposition to 34 that did.

2. Pucks in harmful areas

The different space Tocchet pointed towards after the Red Wings recreation: puck administration in harmful areas of the ice. This encompasses the areas above the circles in each the attacking and defending zones in addition to coming via the impartial zone. On Thursday, a few unhealthy performs excessive within the offensive zone and close to the pink line resulted in Detroit objectives.

This subject additional pertains to recognizing the damaging man — a trailer, a goal driving to the slot or the web — and never getting caught puck watching.

Over the final two video games, have a look at a number of the gamers who’ve scored in opposition to the Flyers: Alex Ovechkin, Tom Wilson, Jakub Chychrun, Patrick Kane, Alex Debrincat. These are the gamers staff particularly recreation plan to include as a lot as attainable. On Thursday, Debrincat scored twice and Kane had a three-point recreation (1g, 2a).

3. Between the pipes

Dan Vladar will get the beginning on Friday. The potential Bobby Clarke Trophy winner has had a wonderful general season however has not too long ago proven indicators of potential fatigue. The New York prescout movies doubtless detected that Vladar had been overwhelmed cleanly to the glove facet a number of instances in his three most up-to-date begins. Look for the Islanders to attempt to take a look at the Czech Olympian up excessive.

The Flyers have not often had a lot success in fixing New York’s Ilya Sorokin. Including a shutout in opposition to Philly the final time the 2 groups met, Sorokin is 12-3-3 in opposition to the Flyers. He’s posted a 1.53 objectives in opposition to common, .946 save share and 5 shutouts in 18 profession outings. Sorokin, nevertheless, was strafed by Pittsburgh on Tuesday and took one other loss in Buffalo the following night time. Overall this season, Sorokin is 28-20-2 with a 2.59 GAA, .910 save share and 7 shutouts.

4. Special groups

Special groups proved pricey in every of Philadelphia’s final two video games, in addition to a number of different winnable video games this season the place Philly got here away with zero factors or one level. The Flyers went 0-for-4 on the ability play in Washington and 0-for-1 in opposition to the Red Wings. Furthermore, they had been simply 1-for-3 on the PK in opposition to the Capitals and 1-for-2 in opposition to the Red Wings.

For the Flyers to beat the Islanders, it is crucial to get again to what Philly did efficiently on their California highway journey sweep in addition to their current hope victory over the powerhouse Dallas Stars. Scratch out an influence play purpose, cling robust when down a person and a minimum of do no worse than breaking even on particular groups