The Philadelphia Flyers intention to maintain their playoff hopes alive once they face the host Winnipeg Jets Saturday evening.
Previous to Thursday’s recreation in opposition to Pittsburgh, the Flyers have been six factors out of a playoff spot and using a promising three-game successful streak. They constructed a 3-0 lead over the Penguins, but wound up struggling a 5-4 extra time loss that maintained their six-point deficit.
Regardless of the disappointing defeat, Flyers head coach John Tortorella remained optimistic about his workforce’s efficiency.
“Apart from seven or eight minutes, we did plenty of good issues,” Tortorella mentioned. “Our third interval was actually good … It is not a type of video games … I actually favored plenty of what we did.”
With simply 22 video games remaining within the common season, the Flyers know they should achieve factors shortly. Whereas the loss to Pittsburgh stings, the workforce stays centered on the following recreation.
“It is an unlucky loss,” ahead Matvei Michkov mentioned by way of an interpreter after the sport. “In extra time, that purpose was not good. There was somewhat little bit of miscommunication … We won’t afford errors like that. We’ll prepare for the following recreation. We’ve got to win the following one.”
In distinction, the Jets are in a a lot stronger place. The Jets are main the Western Convention by 11 factors and maintain the very best file within the NHL — three factors forward of Japanese Convention-leading Washington.
With 22 video games left, their purpose is far totally different than the Flyers. It is extra about fine-tuning their recreation than scrapping to outlive as they intention to win their first Stanley Cup for the reason that franchise’s inception — and the primary for a Canadian workforce for the reason that Montreal Canadiens in 1993.
The Jets’ franchise-record 11-game successful streak got here to an finish Thursday in Nashville, the place they misplaced to the Predators 2-1. Regardless of the setback, defenseman Neal Pionk is optimistic concerning the workforce’s potential to bounce again.
“Begin a brand new streak,” Pionk mentioned when requested concerning the upcoming recreation in opposition to Philadelphia. “Like each recreation, win or lose, we replicate on it, study from it, wash it away and get again after it on Saturday.”
One space the Jets will concentrate on bettering is their energy play. Though they rank first within the league at 30.9 %, the Jets have failed to attain on their final 16 power-play alternatives.
“We modified a couple of issues round,” Jets coach Scott Arniel mentioned. “We had some nice appears, however generally it simply does not go in. It is a part of the season, and we’ll keep it up. We have got some issues to work on, however we’ll hold taking a look at it.”
The Flyers might be with out ahead Garnet Hathaway, who took a blindside hit from Pittsburgh’s Boko Imama on Thursday. Tortorella known as it “one of many dirtiest hits (he is) seen shortly,” and Hathaway wanted help leaving the ice.
The Jets could get ahead Morgan Barron again from an upper-body damage. He is near enjoying for the primary time since Jan. 28.
–Area Degree Media
