This week, the Flyers took on the New Jersey Devils in an unusual four-game regular-season series. Unfortunately for Philadelphia, a loss in the third game mathematically eliminated them from the playoffs. Still, some players remained strong throughout the series, while others struggled against the young, speedy Devils. Each week, we will take a look at players on the Philadelphia Flyers who are on a hot or cold streak. This week, we’ll examine Claude Giroux and Brian Elliott. Be sure to check out last week’s streaks as well.
Hot and Cold Streaks, Including Claude Giroux
Hot Streak: Claude Giroux
Overall, this was a good week for the Flyers’ veteran forwards. Sean Couturier scored two deflection goals, while Jakub Voracek was quietly productive with five assists. However, it was captain Claude Giroux who shone brightest, carrying the Flyers to their sole win of the week.
In the first game, Giroux scored two goals in 22 seconds to negate the Devils’ lead and force overtime. Then, in the subsequent shootout, he put the puck past Mackenzie Blackwood a third time to lead the Flyers to a win. Although Giroux cooled off on the back end of the series, he recorded a goal in the second game, too. Considering that he previously hadn’t found the back of the net since early April, his clutch scoring this week was impressive.
Especially with the team demoralized from the recent mathematical playoff elimination, it’s nice to see Giroux leading by example. Though the rest of the season is essentially meaningless, he continues to model a high standard of energy and work ethic. Giroux’s leadership, along with that of the other veterans who stepped up this week, will be an important asset through future seasons.
Cold Streak: Brian Elliott
First of all, Brian Elliott’s spectacular initial game against the Devils deserves acknowledgement. His 29 saves bought time for the Flyers to orchestrate a thrilling comeback and his shootout performance ultimately sealed the win. However, a single game does not define an entire week – and the veteran goaltender’s last two starts did not go quite as well as the first.
The Flyers did a decent job of limiting the Devils’ chances in those games, only allowing 47 shots in total. Still, Elliott gave up nine goals for a .809 save percentage. That’s a significant decline from his excellent .952 save percentage of last week. In the final contest of the week, Elliott looked frustrated as the speedy Devils beat him left and right. Granted, defensive breakdowns were likely responsible for some of New Jersey’s more dangerous chances. But Elliott, too, certainly was not at his best through the later stages of the week.
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