{"id":120016,"date":"2021-10-17T13:11:02","date_gmt":"2021-10-17T17:11:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=120016"},"modified":"2021-10-17T13:11:02","modified_gmt":"2021-10-17T17:11:02","slug":"flyers-hot-and-cold-streaks-october-10-16-joel-farabee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2021\/10\/17\/flyers-hot-and-cold-streaks-october-10-16-joel-farabee\/","title":{"rendered":"Philadelphia Flyers Hot and Cold Streaks: October 10-16, Including Joel Farabee"},"content":{"rendered":"

This week\u2019s hot and cold streaks will require a disclaimer right off the bat: they\u2019re not really streaks. After all, the Flyers played only one game, beginning their 2021-22 campaign on Friday against the Vancouver Canucks<\/a>. Everything to follow will merely be a reflection of that contest. Nevertheless, even in the span of a single game, there are some players that delivered performances worthy of recognition. And, conversely, there are some that did not quite live up to expectations.\u00a0<\/span>Each week, we\u2019ll take a look at players on the Philadelphia Flyers who are on hot or cold streaks. This week, we\u2019ll examine Joel Farabee<\/a> and the Flyers shootout. (No, the latter is not a player, but it\u2019s worthy of some scrutiny all the same.)<\/span><\/p>\n

Flyers Hot and Cold Streaks, Including Joel Farabee<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Hot Streak: Joel Farabee<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Farabee\u2019s breakout season in 2020-21 set high expectations for his performance this year. And right off the bat, he delivered, recording the first of four goals for the Flyers and a primary assist on Cam Atkinson<\/a>\u2019s tally. Admittedly, the goal did take a lucky bounce off Canucks defenceman Tucker Poolman<\/a>, but the shot itself was smart. Had it not trickled past Thatcher Demko<\/a>, Farabee\u2019s one-timer would\u2019ve at least set up a rebound opportunity for Atkinson.<\/span><\/p>\n

The assist, too, demonstrated good awareness from Farabee. He registered Atkinson speeding in, settled a bouncy chip from Brassard, and executed a quick pass right to where he knew Atkinson would be. It remains to be seen how Farabee will fare through the rest of the season. But for now, he\u2019s off to a very strong start.<\/span><\/p>\n

Honorable Mention: Cam Atkinson<\/strong><\/h4>\n

There were many Flyers who just barely missed out on being this week\u2019s hot streak. Claude Giroux<\/a> and Travis Konecny<\/a> deserve much credit for their clutch goals to take the game to overtime. Sean Couturier<\/a> assisted on both. But it\u2019s got to be the other second-line winger who gets the honorable mention.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Flyers traded for Cam Atkinson hoping that he\u2019d be a reliable goal-scorer\u2014and that\u2019s exactly what he did. During a second period in which not much was going well, Atkinson\u2019s first goal as Flyer gave the team a spark of hope and helped cut down on the Canucks\u2019 lead. He was fast but also physical when necessary, landing three hits during the game. Overall, it was an auspicious start to Atkinson\u2019s career in Philly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cold Streak: The Shootout<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Okay, the shootout is not a player. But it seems unfair to designate a single person as having been on a cold streak this week. For one, it would be hasty to declare anyone \u201ccold\u201d after a single game. And realistically, the first shootout of the season was a whole lot worse than even the worst player during regulation.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to note that the Flyers have actually been on a cold streak for a while with regards to the shootout. Last season, the Flyers won less than half of the seven games decided by shootouts. During the preseason, the team showed few signs of having resolved that issue. (Notably, they lost a nine-round shootout to the Washington Capitals<\/a>, despite seven saves from Martin Jones<\/a> and a goal from Morgan Frost<\/a>.)<\/span><\/p>\n

The Flyers\u2019 recent history of shootout losses ultimately culminated in Friday night\u2019s breakdown. Sean Couturier and Claude Giroux, two of the team\u2019s most reliable shooters, took similar approaches, entering fast and trying to deke around Demko. Neither was able to score. In addition, Carter Hart<\/a> didn\u2019t look too sharp. Despite his excellent performance in the third period and overtime, the Canucks found the back of the net twice in succession. Perhaps their shooters\u2019 slower approaches caused Hart to overthink? Regardless of the reason for the Canucks\u2019 success, the fact remains that Vancouver\u2019s strategy worked\u2014whereas the Flyers may need to rethink theirs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Main Photo:<\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>