• HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • Site Index
  • NHL Salary Caps
  • Hockey 101: A Beginner’s Guide
  • Join Our Team
  • Free Newsletter
  • Store
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
Home
Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers Hitting Their Stride

By Glen Stricker December 6th, 2016

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

For most of the 2016-17 season, the Philadelphia Flyers have been a Jekyll and Hyde kind of team. Plagued by spotty goaltending and shaky team defense, the Flyers could never muster more than a few wins in a row, mostly trading a win one night for a loss the next. However, over the last couple weeks that shaky defense and spotty goaltending have come around and have contributed to their current season-high five-game winning streak. Here’s what’s been the major contributing factors:

Steve Mason

Steve Mason has has grabbed the reigns of the Flyers crease since Michal Neuvirth went down due to injury. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Steve Mason has grabbed the reigns of the Flyers crease since Michal Neuvirth went down due to injury. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Steve Mason has been lights out during the Flyers’ five-game winning streak. One of the biggest issues why the Flyers couldn’t get into a groove over the first 20 plus games, was because the goaltending wasn’t comparable to last season. It was only a matter of time before the netminders would come around, and now that it has, you see the Flyers winning games they had often lost in the early going.

Mason’s play has been a major benefactor to the team’s current run, and he was rewarded for his efforts by the NHL by being named the league’s first star of the week (Nov. 27-Dec. 28), posting a 4-0 record and 1.71 goals against average.

Congratulations to Steve Mason, @NHL First-Star of the Week! More → https://t.co/jXoqrPdWio pic.twitter.com/cxYwUFmnXe

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) December 5, 2016

Scoring by Committee

In addition to Mason’s performance, the Flyers’ offense is about as well-balanced as they come. Getting contributions from all four forward lines as well as having the defense chip in on most nights explains why they currently rank fourth in goals per game in the league.

Cant say Flyers D is 'bad'. Defensively, avg, maybe less. But offensively, no team's D is better this season. Offense is the best defense.

— Mikey D, O&BP 🤙🏼🏴‍☠️ (@MikeyD_OandBP) November 30, 2016

[irp]

Simmonds has had the best start of his career statistically leading the Flyers in goals (13) & points (24) in the young season. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Simmonds has had the best start of his career leading the Flyers in goals (13) & points (24). (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

In years past, the Flyers relied heavily on Claude Giroux and Jake Voracek to provide offense on a nightly basis. In games where they were kept off the scoresheet, the Flyers earned an L in the loss column. However, in 2016-17, that’s changed. The big guns have been producing, but what’s changed most is that when they aren’t other players are picking up the slack and contributing.

For example, against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday (12/4) afternoon, the heavy hitters, such as Wayne Simmonds, Giroux, and Voracek, were held pointless but it didn’t matter. The Flyers still found a way to pot three goals which were all Mason needed to come away with the win. Guys like Travis Konecny, Brayden Schenn, and Michael Raffl have provided offensive depth which makes it difficult for other teams to match up against the Flyers defensively.

Ivan Provorov

Ivan Provorov is settling in as the Flyers go-to man on defense much sooner than originally expected. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Ivan Provorov is settling in as the Flyers go-to man on defense much sooner than originally expected. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

There was much hype about Provorov entering training camp and the preseason and for good reason. Now that the teenager has 27 games of professional experience under his belt, he’s beginning to show Flyers fans and the league in general why he was selected with the seventh overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft. The kid’s got it all when it comes to overall talent and has the hockey awareness to put his physical tools to good use.

Provorov arguably played his best game as a professional on Saturday against the Blackhawks, netting two goals in the midst of a 30-second span. But it wasn’t just his offensive tools that were on display. He made outstanding reads in the defensive zone and was strong on the puck all game long. His play in all three zones over the last month have been by far the best amongst Flyers defensemen, which is why, during that span, he’s been leading in ice time on the blue line.

As much focus as there was on Provorov's offense vs CHI, it was his play to steer Kane out of the O-zone that stood out most to me. #Flyers

— Anthony Mingioni (@AnthonyMingioni) December 4, 2016

The video below shows Provorov’s offensive talent, and as he gets older and his defensive and offensive games grow, the Flyers might just have a perennial All-Star on their hands.

Defense to offense!

What a period for the Flyers! #FlyersTalk pic.twitter.com/Iob9E7a5Wq

— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) December 3, 2016

  • Tags
  • Claude Giroux
  • Ivan Provorov
  • Steve Mason
  • Top Story
  • Wayne Simmonds
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Get theScore App Now!
Recent Posts
Jan 21st 5:55 PM
Edmonton Oilers

McDavid Has the Maple Leafs’ Number and Needs to Keep it That Way

Jan 21st 5:08 PM
Archives

NHLers by Country: On Top of Their Game and the World

Jan 21st 4:50 PM
Edmonton Oilers

Oilers Missing Klefbom and Neal on Power Play

Jan 21st 4:40 PM
Minnesota Wild

Wild’s Soucy & Sturm Look Comfortable Filling Roster Gaps

Jan 21st 4:30 PM
Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche With Career Milestones in Sight in 2020-21 Season

Jan 21st 3:45 PM
Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning & Pat Maroon Are a Really Good Fit…For Now

Jan 21st 3:35 PM
Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights’ Depth Separates Them From the Rest

Jan 21st 3:15 PM
Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets’ Alexandre Texier, New Faces Shine to Begin Season

Jan 21st 2:45 PM
Edmonton Oilers

Oilers News & Rumors: Neal, Yamamoto, Tippett, More

Jan 21st 2:15 PM
Column

Senators News & Rumours: Stützle, Norris, Galchenyuk and More

Editor’s Picks
NHL TV Blackouts & Why They Happen?

NHL TV Blackouts & Why They Happen?

The 1979 NHL – WHA Merger

The 1979 NHL – WHA Merger

Masthead

Newsletters

RSS Feeds

Privacy Statement

Contact Us

About THW…

Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Updated daily with news and features from over 130 writers worldwide. Over 2 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix.

© The Hockey Writers 2020. All rights reserved.
logo
  • HOME
  • Hockey Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • North Division
    • Calgary Flames
    • Edmonton Oilers
    • Montreal Canadiens
    • Ottawa Senators
    • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Vancouver Canucks
    • Winnipeg Jets
  • East Division
    • Boston Bruins
    • Buffalo Sabres
    • New Jersey Devils
    • New York Islanders
    • New York Rangers
    • Philadelphia Flyers
    • Pittsburgh Penguins
    • Washington Capitals
  • Central Division
    • Carolina Hurricanes
    • Chicago Blackhawks
    • Columbus Blue Jackets
    • Dallas Stars
    • Detroit Red Wings
    • Florida Panthers
    • Nashville Predators
    • Tampa Bay Lightning
  • West Division
    • Anaheim Ducks
    • Arizona Coyotes
    • Colorado Avalanche
    • Los Angeles Kings
    • Minnesota Wild
    • San Jose Sharks
    • Seattle Kraken
    • St Louis Blues
    • Vegas Golden Knights
  • World Juniors
  • CHL
    • Ontario Hockey League
    • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
    • Western Hockey League
  • THW Podcast Network
  • Store
  • FREE Newsletter
  • Search THW
  • More…
    • Join Our Team
    • The THW Archives
    • Prospects
    • The Goalie Page
    • NHL Salary Cap Information