The Flyers have lost two straight and carry a 1-6-1 road record into Sunday's game at Calgary, with Rick Tocchet's team badly needing a win away from home.
Thursday night's 3-2 loss at the Rangers dropped Philadelphia to 4-10-4 in 18 games, good for 12 points. It was another one-goal road game that got away.
The Flyers are 3-4-3 at home, which isn't pretty, but it's livable. Away from Philadelphia, the season has been a grind with one win to show for it.
That one road win is the whole story of the trip so far. Eight road games, one victory, and a team that keeps leaving the building with nothing.
The split matters more because the Flyers can't afford to give games away. They've scored 39 goals and allowed 61, a goal differential of -22, and those numbers don't leave much room to survive a bad night.
Even the recent stretch hasn't offered relief. Philadelphia is 4-5-1 over its last 10, so this isn't a case of one cold week dragging down an otherwise steady season.
The Flyers' road problem is a scoring problem
Matvei Michkov is the lone bright spot, and he's been that for a while. He leads the team with 10 goals, and half of them (5) have come on the power play.
Trevor Zegras has 14 points, and six of his 10 assists have come on the power play. Together they make up most of what the Flyers do well, which is the reason the Flyers' reliance on Michkov for goals keeps coming up.
Michkov is also a -11 through 18 games, so the offense isn't the only place where the team leaks.
Calgary isn't exactly a juggernaut. The Flames are 7-9-1 and lost 5-3 to the Ducks on Friday, their second straight defeat. They're 5-4-0 at home.
But the Flyers have heard that kind of reasoning before. A beatable opponent hasn't been enough on the road this season, and Michkov and Zegras carrying the offense can only cover so much.
Sunday in Calgary is the next real chance to show this team can win a game on the road. Tocchet needs a result, and the standings are not going to wait.
Quick hits
DALLAS STARSThomas Harley had a three-point night and the Stars held off the Sharks 4-3 in Dallas on Saturday. Harley is quietly setting the tone from the back end.
EDMONTON OILERSConnor McDavid's assist streak has reached 18 games, according to SportsnetStats citing NHL PR, and it catches Adam Oates. The Oilers face the Canucks tonight, so the chase continues.
CAROLINA HURRICANESThe Hurricanes routed the Blackhawks 9-2 at Lenovo Center tonight and tied their record for goals in a game since relocation. That's a statement night.
OTTAWA SENATORSThe Senators announced tonight that Tim Stutzle moved into the top five for most assists in franchise history. A big mark for a player still building his résumé.
NEW JERSEY DEVILSJack Hughes won it in overtime, and the Devils beat the Islanders 5-4 on Long Island after trailing 4-2 at one point. That's a wild comeback.
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Flyers carry road problem into Calgary on Sunday