A little over a week ago, there were a few stories running about how the Flyers' remaining stretch wasn't too bad, facing mostly teams outside the playoff bubble, nothing to worry about, etc. Then said stretch began, and with it, a bit of what you might call a Flyers slump. Three of their last four losses have been to teams with sub-.500 records, two of which were below the current eighth seeding, with one coming against the last place team in the East.
What may have been overlooked or glossed over when poring at the favorable remains of the schedule was that the teams just outside the playoffs are playing to get inside that bubble, with their remaining games requiring a playoff-like intensity. The Flyers, meanwhile, are comfortably going to make the postseason, although they obviously have seeding to play for, if not the pride of being the best.
Maybe the reminder of what it feels like to lose and have to answer questions about "intensity" and "wanting it" and your mistakes rather than the gorgeous goals and big saves you made will help the Flyers get back on track today. Let's hope so, because although they're set to face a team not currently in the playoff seedings, if we've learned anything this week, it's that a ninth place team can be pretty dangerous.
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The Sabres are three points out of eighth and four points out of seventh, but also neck and neck with the surging Maple Leafs in trying to oust a team above them. On Thursday, we got a good look at what kind of motivation that can impart in a team, when Toronto came in and took down the top team in the conference. The Sabres will no doubt see the Flyers as somewhat more beatable than they appeared during the stretch leading up to the All-Star Game.
The Flyers may be without Jeff Carter again today, although not due to the flu that kept him out of Thursday's action along with Darroll Powe and Dan Carcillo. Carter's grandfather passed away. No word yet on today's actives and inactives.
Before the Maple Leafs game, we importuned Kris Versteeg to light the Flyer fire against his former team. He kindly obliged. Today, we wouldn't mind seeing Danny Briere do the honors against his former team. It's been over two weeks since Danny last scored, and he has only two points in his last six games. After a hot January, Briere scored only twice in the month of February. What gives, Danny?
Briere has six points in two games against the Sabres this season, and the Flyers scored in bunches both times (11 total goals).
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In a perfect little Flyers Saturday, Briere would net a pair, both on the power play, the Flyers would win, and we'd have three slumps busted at least temporarily. We'll settle for the W any way it comes though, and again, we're not worried about the team or any of its players. This type of slump is about as normal a thing as there is in hockey.