Analysis: Flyers lose to Wild 1-0

Wild Goals

• Jason Zucker (9), assists: Matt Dumba, Nino Neiderreiter

Flyers Goals

• None

Saturday’s game was not eventful until the third period. If you guessed a 1-0 game after the first two periods, you were correct. However, it did not go in the Philadelphia Flyers’ favor.

Here are five takeaways from Saturday’s game:

5 Takeaways from Wild vs. Flyers

• After watching the top line dominate against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday, there is now a very real problem for the Flyers. The top line cannot be the ones that do all the work. The Flyers currently have the best top line in the league which is very good but after that? Well… the other three lines need to find ways to get on the stat sheet. Sure, Wayne Simmonds hasn’t been himself since getting injured, Nolan Patrick is still missing from action, but the Flyers’ offense cannot rely on just three players on the first line.

• The Flyers have now been shut out 4 times in their last 17 games. Four times, yikes! The Flyers have also had a member of the top line score a goal in 13 games. Simply put it, the Flyers NEED more offense.

• Brian Elliott gave the Flyers a performance that kept them in the game. He made some incredible saves on the Wild including a stick save on Mikko Koivu in the first period. In fact, the Wild’s lone goal of the game was scored when it banked off Elliott, after a crazy play. It’s good to see that Elliott is performing well for the second game in a row. He’s only allowed four goals in his last three starts and has saved 96 of his last 100 shots against him. Elliott should starter in net in Minnesota on Tuesday.

• The Flyers have been having some trouble being able to score on the power play as of late including Saturday night. They had a few chances to get on the board but just could not convert. They are currently only 1 for their last 16 attempts on the man advantage.

• On the injury front, Travis Sanheim left the game in the third period. He was coming off a good game against the Blackhawks, where he took three shots in 15 minutes on the ice. Hopefully, Sanheim’s injury is not serious.

Additional Notes

• Nolan Patrick missed his eighth straight game, but Ron Hextall has said that the second overall pick will start practicing this week. I’d expect him to miss the game in Minnesota on Tuesday, but look for him to return later this week.

Star of the Game

Brian Elliott: He kept the Flyers in the game for as long as he could. But the Flyers’ offense did not return the favor.

The Flyers will finish off the home and home with the Wild on Tuesday night in Minnesota. Hopefully, the offense decides to travel with them to the Twin Cities.