Vigneault says the Flyers have a long way to go

PHILADELPHIA >> Less than 24 hours after the Ottawa Senators, of all lousy teams, had snapped what had been a seven-game points streak for his team, Flyers coach Alain Vigneault had no problem celebrating the occasion.

Prior to the Flyers’ follow-up game Saturday night against a truly hot team, the New York Islanders, Vigneault laid a few critical challenges on his players that were indicative of the causes behind the 2-1 loss to the usually unsightly Senators the previous evening.

“Five on five, we need to be better than we have,” Vigneault said of his team’s even-strength play. “We’re a minus team right now, 5 on 5, and there’s no doubt that teams that get into the playoffs are on the plus side. So we’re not there right now as far as our 5-on-5 play. I think our process is good. I think we’re getting a lot of chances. we’re just not putting the puck in the back of the net.”

Vigneault had that right, as the power play-oriented Flyers have scored just 42 goals during 5 on 5 situations, while getting scored upon 48 times at even-strength heading into the Islanders game at Wells Fargo Center.

But that’s OK, because Vigneault really isn’t all that happy with his club’s power play, either.

“It’s a little bit like (even strength play), we’re not finding the back of the net,” Vigneault lamented. “Last night we got some real good looks at the end. The power play had an opportunity. Our big boys had the opportunity to make the difference for us. But right now it’s not there.”

It wasn’t there against the Senators even though Ottawa coach D.J. Smith said the first few minutes of the game was, “maybe our worst start of the year” for his now 8-10-1 team. But the Sens prevailed largely because the Flyers couldn’t build on an early one-goal lead, and then couldn’t take advantage of four minutes of power play time at game’s end that included a lot of twoman advantage, as Vigneault pulled Carter Hart from the net for an extra skater.

Hence some power play shuffling for the Isles’ game, though Vigneault also made a key change with his power play quarterbacks Ivan Provorov and Shayne Gostisbehere in Ottawa.

“Yesterday Provy started off and had three turnovers in the first 10 minutes,” Vigneault said. “So we made a switch. Ghost, it seemed to me he was playing a little bit better. If you want to play you’ve got to make the plays. At that time I didn’t think Provy was.” Ouch ... fair enough. “I think we have to continue to do the right things, but sooner or later some of our guys have got to find a way to get those results,” Vigneault said. “Last night is a perfect example. We’re playing a real good game. we’re winning 1-nothing. If we make it 2-nothing, we hurt their will a little bit. We weren’t able to do that and that’s something where we’re talking with our group and hopefully we’ll get better starting tonight.

“We have to get on the plus side and to do that, continue with the process, but you have to go into the tough areas,” Vigneault added. “Most of the goals are scored a couple of feet from the goaltender, and you have to go in there. You have to have that willingness to play inside and we’re talking about that with our group right now.”

• • • Vigneault kept shuffling his power play QBs against the Islanders, as Provorov was the QB on a first unsuccessful power play, then Gostisbehere came in. It was late in that second Flyers power play and in the final minute of the first period that Provorov had a one-timer blast from far out on the point to beat Isles goalie Thomas Greiss for a two-goal Flyers lead. The Flyers had been just 2-for-21 on the power play before that.

••• Before the game Vigneault hinted there were a couple of injury issues that was keeping him from deciding on a lineup. He didn’t detail the injuries and they weren’t supposed to be significant. By game time young defender Phil Myers was scratched after playing eight straight games. Robert Hagg, who had been scratched in eight straight and nine out of the previous 10 games, filled in. But Vigneault later said Myers wasn’t hurt. Also scratched was fellow promoted Phantom Carsen Twarynski, who was replaced by Chris Stewart, who hadn’t played in the prior seven games.