The Inconsistant Flyers

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – 47 games into the new season, the Flyers have showed many things and consistency is not one of them.

So far this season the Flyers showed that the team’s defense is much better than the offence. The team showed that they cannot score averaging 100 goals less than the League leader NY Islanders and being ranked 2nd last in goals for. The team only has 4 10+ goal scorers, the list includes Kyle Wellwood with 14, newly acquired Tomas Plekanec with 12 and Jamie Lundmark and Peter Polcik both with 10 goals each.

To start the season Flyers management has high hopes for most of these players and nearly all are underachieving. The Flyers hope the acquisition of two-way defenseman Brendan Bell will spark a more offensive attack from the team. In a last ditch effort to try and give the team more offence the Flyers tried shaking up the lines starting with moving underachieving centerman Igor Grigorenko who has been moved to the leftwing position and replacing the 2nd line center position with newcomer Tomas Plekanec.

The Flyers are a combined -117 so far this year. The team has also racked up 1600 penalty minutes just over the half way mark of the season.

With the latest results from the Pittsburgh and Washington games the Flyers, after being on a season high “two” game winning streak, are now back on yet another losing streak after a 4-3 loss to the Penguins and a recent 5-0 loss to the Washington Capitals. Management knows that the team may not win as much as they expect, but they also do expect them to keep games respectable and last games 5-0 loss was just inexcusable. “I expect the guys to at least protect in the defensive zone coverage better, the Caps took full advantage of this and there is a lot of changes that we need to make before our next game…” said Flyers coach Glen Sather. “This is probably one of the toughest parts of our schedule this year having 3 road games in 3 nights, so far we have failed the test, and that’s just unacceptable.”

The Flyers now face the Calgary Flames at the Pengrowth Saddledome to finish off this three game road swing. They will look to finish off on a high note and a win tonight would do just that. Brendan Bell will be making his debut alongside Carlo Colaiacovo. Both defenseman have been struggling this year and management hope for a turnaround for both. Martin Gerber will get the start in nets.