This week, the Philadelphia Flyers took on two of the East Division’s top teams in the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals. It was certainly an exciting stretch, as the team won three of its four games and Cam York made his NHL debut. Still, there were some Flyers who performed exceptionally, while others didn’t quite rise to the level of the competition. 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 Alex Lyon and Ivan Provorov. Be sure to check out last week’s streaks as well.
Hot and Cold Streaks, Including Alex Lyon
Hot Streak: Alex Lyon
In his two starts this week, Lyon was excellent. He stopped 35 of 37 shots to seal a 7-2 victory over the Penguins. His stickless blocker save in the first period was worthy of highlight reels. Against the Capitals, Lyon didn’t have quite as much success, as the Flyers suffered a disappointing loss in overtime. However, he faced a significantly greater number of shots – 40 in total – and didn’t allow a single goal until the final minute of the game.
To a fanbase accustomed to atrociously inconsistent goaltending, Lyon’s spectacular performance this week was a breath of fresh air. Though his starts earlier in the season left much to be desired, it’s been encouraging to see him improve through recent games. Of course, Lyon is not the Flyers’ first choice for a goaltender. His spot on the tandem isn’t even guaranteed beyond this season. Nevertheless, for the time being, Flyers fans can revel in a week of solid goaltending, courtesy of Lyon.
Cold Streak: Ivan Provorov
Provorov, though usually one of the Flyers’ more dependable players, did not look good this week. In the second contest against the Penguins, he did provide a secondary assist on Justin Braun’s goal. However, in the previous game, he recorded a costly hooking penalty that allowed the Penguins to open up the scoring. (It wasn’t even necessary, as it was committed deep in the neutral zone.)
Overall, Provorov just looked a bit discombobulated and out of touch. He misread a Capitals play that resulted in a goal. At certain points, his stickhandling left much to be desired. And he also struggled to keep the puck in the zone when quarterbacking the power play. This is not the kind of performance the Flyers want out of Provorov, especially as an alternate captain and the leader of the defence. He has to find a way back to the steady and disciplined play that has given him success in the past. And that all starts with cutting down on the miscommunications and foolish penalties.
