Flyers face a must-win at Calgary on Sunday

Matvei Michkov and the Flyers need a win at Calgary on Sunday after Thursday's 3-2 loss at the Rangers.

Philadelphia is 4-10-4 with 12 points, 30th in the NHL and 8th in the Metropolitan Division. The Flyers have lost two straight, and the standings are starting to look like a hole rather than a slump.

The road trip began Thursday night in New York, and the first stop ended the way too many have this season, with the Flyers one goal short.

Away from the Wells Fargo Center, the numbers are ugly. The Flyers are 1-6-1 on the road, and across the whole season they've scored 39 goals while allowing 61, a -22 differential.

That's not a team that's unlucky in close games. It's a team that gives up far more than it scores, and the road record shows it most.

The offense runs through a short list of names. Matvei Michkov's goal production for the Flyers leads the way with 10 goals and 13 points, and five of those goals came on the power play.

He's also a -11, which tells you how much the team has been under water when he's on the ice.

Trevor Zegras has 14 points, tops on the roster, and he sits at 97 career goals. Three more and he reaches 100, a milestone that would be a nice story on a night when the Flyers need any good news.

Who else steps up for the Flyers?

The question hanging over this lineup is simple. Michkov and Zegras can't carry 18 games of scoring forever, and someone else has to start tilting the ice.

Porter Martone has 8 points in 18 games, including 2 power-play goals and 2 power-play assists. After Porter Martone's test at the Rangers ended in a loss, the sixth overall pick from 2025 has to find another gear.

Here's my take: a team that's 30th with a -22 goal differential can't treat any road game as a chance to just stay close. Close has been the Flyers' problem, and a 1-6-1 road record says they've been on the wrong side of it too often.

Sunday at Calgary is the next chance to change that, with the rest of the road trip still ahead.

Quick hits

MINNESOTA WILDMichael Russo reported that forward Michael McCarron went down the tunnel late in last night's 4-1 win over the Sharks. There's no update yet, and the Wild will be hoping it's nothing.

SAN JOSE SHARKSMacklin Celebrini tied it for the Sharks last night, but they fell 4-1 at Minnesota. It's a fourth straight loss, and the answers aren't coming fast.

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETSZachary Werenski scored again, but Columbus lost 5-2 at Buffalo last night. It was a road game that got away from them.

BUFFALO SABRESJosh Norris scored twice as the Sabres beat the Blue Jackets 5-2 at home last night. Jack Quinn helped lift them too.

NEW YORK ISLANDERSMark Divver reports that Pierre Engvall made it 3-0 for Hamilton last night. It was a nice jolt for the Islanders' AHL affiliate, and Kashawn Aitcheson had a better night.