Embarrassing Loss Pushes Flyers' Troubling Skid To 6 Games

Embarrassing loss pushes Flyers' troubling skid to 6 games originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers saw their season-worst losing streak balloon to six games with an embarrassing performance on home ice.

The club was thumped by the Rangers, 6-3, Saturday afternoon at Xfinity Mobile Arena. The Flyers were down 6-1 at one point in the second period.

“When you’re a little bit tired, some guys have lost a little bit of confidence, you’ve got to stay with structure,” Rick Tocchet said. … “It’s on me to get these guys back on the rails. But we just have to play a certain way to be able to compete.”

For a third straight game, Tocchet had to use both of his goalies. Aleksei Kolosov was pulled after New York ripped off three first-period goals in a span of 1:20 minutes. Samuel Ersson took over just 8:25 minutes into the action.

“We sucked, plain and simple,” Sean Couturier said. “We can’t show up down 3-1 five minutes in, 10 minutes in, whatever it was. We’ve got to be better.”

Travis Konecny gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead, which lasted for 43 seconds. Travis Sanheim and Trevor Zegras provided the team’s other two goals.

The Flyers (22-17-8) have been outscored a staggering 31-12 over this 0-5-1 skid.

“It’s important to stick together,” Couturier said. “There’s a lot of pressure, outside noise, but it’s on us to figure it out and stick together. We’ll come out stronger.”

The Rangers (21-22-6), who are now openly retooling, snapped their five-game slide (0-4-1), a stretch in which they were outscored 30-12.

• Kolosov couldn’t answer the bell in his second start of the season.

He didn’t record a save on three shots before Tocchet summoned Ersson. The Flyers gave up a 3-on-1 rush when New York scored its third goal in that early onslaught.

The Flyers have sorely missed Dan Vladar, who was out for a second straight game with an undisclosed injury. The good news for the Flyers is that he’s being considered day to day.

Tocchet was unsure if Vladar would be joining the Flyers on their three-game road trip.

“Still got to talk to the doctors on that because if he’s not going to play any of the games, why [have him travel]?” the head coach said pregame. “Is there a possibility for the third game? Maybe, that’s what we’ll decide.”

Ersson made 22 saves on 25 shots in relief.

Mika Zibanejad had a hat trick for the Rangers before second intermission. One of his goals was on the power play. The Flyers have given up eight power play goals over their last four games.

New York netminder Spencer Martin was making his first start of the season and stopped 27 of the Flyers’ 30 shots.

• Cam York and Jamie Drysdale were each a minus-3.

• Rodrigo Abols exited with a lower-body injury in the first period and didn’t return. More on him here.

Bobby Brink missed a sixth straight game with an upper-body injury. The 24-year-old winger skated Saturday morning and Tocchet called him a “possibility” for the team’s game against the Golden Knights.

Rasmus Ristolainen was placed on injured reserve and won’t join the Flyers for the trip. He has been considered day to day with an upper-body injury.

Without Ristolainen, the Flyers made a call-up for some insurance on the back end. After the loss, they officially brought up Hunter McDonald from AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley.

• The Flyers open their trip Monday when they visit Vegas (8 p.m. ET/NBCSP+).