{"id":103689,"date":"2021-03-18T11:44:23","date_gmt":"2021-03-18T15:44:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=103689"},"modified":"2021-03-18T11:44:23","modified_gmt":"2021-03-18T15:44:23","slug":"thoughts-on-the-philadelphia-flyers-goaltending","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2021\/03\/18\/thoughts-on-the-philadelphia-flyers-goaltending\/","title":{"rendered":"Thoughts on the Philadelphia Flyers’ Goaltending"},"content":{"rendered":"

Things are getting rough for the Philadelphia Flyers\u2019 goaltending.<\/span> Carter Hart<\/span><\/a> hasn\u2019t looked the same since the demoralizing<\/span> Lake Tahoe loss<\/span><\/a> against the<\/span> Boston Bruins<\/span><\/a>. Even ever-steady<\/span> Brian Elliott<\/span><\/a> is showing signs of fatigue. And the defence\u2019s many breakdowns in front of them haven\u2019t helped in the slightest. Thanks to the Flyers’ history of inconsistent goaltending, it\u2019s a fan\u2019s prerogative to panic about the tandem’s downturn. But to fairly assess Hart and Elliott\u2019s performance (and preserve one’s sanity), one must occasionally look on the bright side. Here are a few overarching observations, both good and bad, that paint a more complete picture of how the goaltending tandem has done thus far.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Good and the Bad of the Philadelphia Flyers\u2019 Goaltending<\/b><\/h2>\n

Good: Brian Elliott Was Steady, for a While<\/b><\/h3>\n

Initially, the man the Flyers call \u201cMoose\u201d was expected to slot into his usual role as the steady backup. Now, though, he has become more of a 1B goaltender (and occasionally even a 1A). Despite the sudden and surprising nature of the change, Elliott played solidly for some time. Through the first five games after Lake Tahoe, he<\/span> had a .907 SV%<\/span><\/a> – about on par with his first two seasons with the Flyers. Those numbers weren\u2019t going to single-handedly carry the Flyers to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but Elliott was about as good as anyone could have asked of him given his increased workload and the discombobulated defence in front of him.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Bad: Things Are Starting to Look Shaky<\/b><\/h3>\n

Although Elliott’s many years in the league have shaped him into a solid, experienced veteran goaltender, they certainly won\u2019t help during this shortened season. Since Lake Tahoe, Elliott has gotten a significantly increased number of starts – and the fatigue has caught up quickly. Last week, Elliott played three consecutive games against the<\/span> Buffalo Sabres<\/span><\/a> and the<\/span> Washington Capitals<\/span><\/a>. In the second Capitals game, he let in three of seven shots on goal before Hart took over. Then on Wednesday, Elliott started but was benched again for allowing five quick goals. So while he is perfectly capable of shouldering a heavier workload for short bursts, it\u2019s not realistic to expect Elliott to be able to play the starting role for an extended time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Good: Carter Hart is Working Hard, As Usual<\/b><\/h3>\n

If there\u2019s one event that sums up Hart\u2019s season, the infamous stick smash is it. After a frustrating 6-1 loss to the Boston Bruins (his third straight), the typically-calm netminder<\/span> pulverized his stick<\/span><\/a> on the crossbar of the goal in frustration. Things still haven’t improved – Hart has a less-than-90 save percentage on the season. But the composure and hard work with which he\u2019s managed his slump since then are far more reflective of the mature 22-year-old Flyers fans have come to know and love. After last Tuesday\u2019s narrow win against the Buffalo Sabres, in which Hart was pulled after letting in three goals, he reportedly<\/span> stayed late on Wednesday<\/span><\/a> to practice with goaltending coach Kim Dillabaugh. Even if he\u2019s not seeing the ideal results yet, it\u2019s encouraging that Hart\u2019s doing all the right things to try to rediscover his form.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bad: His Confidence Level is Dropping<\/b><\/h3>\n

Hart’s current distressed state is a disheartening contrast to his typically-cool nature. His disappointment is palpable in post-game press conferences. When a shot makes it past him, his shoulders slump. He\u2019s even directly admitted that he<\/span> doesn\u2019t \u201cfeel like [himself]\u201d<\/span><\/a>. At this point, a large part of getting Hart back to where he was last season will be helping him regain his confidence. However, the Flyers\u2019 competitive schedule provides few opportunities to boost Hart\u2019s morale. It\u2019ll be more of a \u201cbuilding the plane in midair\u201d situation as he tries to recharge while fending off the Flyers’ East Division rivals.<\/span><\/p>\n

Good: The Veteran-Youngster Dynamic is Great<\/b><\/h3>\n

Since last season, it’s been clear that the Flyers want Hart to be their de facto starter. He\u2019s the young franchise goaltender, whereas Elliott is the veteran backup. Their clearly-defined roles, as well as the significant differences in age and experience, have resulted in the creation of a constructive, mentor-prot\u00e9g\u00e9-type relationship. As a veteran, Elliott lends Hart valuable insight from his own extensive NHL career. And when Hart is confident in his game, he shoulders the majority of the workload, allowing Elliott to play comfortably in a less-fatiguing role. It\u2019s clear that the two get along very well – Hart was<\/span> quick to express his desire to see Elliott back<\/span><\/a> during the veteran goaltender\u2019s offseason contract talks – and especially during this rough patch, it\u2019s good to know that the goalies trust and support each other.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bad: Neither One Can Consistently Bail Out the Defense<\/b><\/h3>\n

Could Elliott and Hart be playing more consistently? Yes. Maybe if they were, the Flyers could have pulled off a few more wins in some of their closer games. Still, the root problem here is not Hart and Elliott. More often than not, goals scored against the Flyers are the fault of bad defence rather than bad goaltending. Sloppy turnovers, uncontained breakaways, and missed assignments have made the netminders\u2019 jobs extremely difficult. The<\/span> New York Rangers<\/span><\/a>\u2019 blowout win on Wednesday, for example, was not the goaltenders\u2019 fault. It was Provorov\u2019s mishandling of the puck and Sanheim and Myers\u2019 inability to contain the Rangers, among other flubs, that allowed New York to easily net nine goals. Elliott and Hart had no chance. Until the Flyers minimize their defensive breakdowns, the goaltenders can\u2019t be expected to lug the team to victory.<\/span><\/p>\n

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In all, the Philadelphia Flyers’ goaltending is not the source of their recent struggles. Hart is still very young, and he plays excellently when he\u2019s getting support from the rest of the team. Elliott will be steady once Hart takes on more of the workload again. The bottom line is, their issues are temporary and the least of the team\u2019s concerns. Right now, what the Flyers need most is better play in front of the goaltenders – and that problem won\u2019t be so easily solved.<\/span><\/p>\n

Main Photo:<\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>