The rejuvenated Philadelphia Flyers wrap up a three-game homestand on Monday night when the Nashville Predators pay a visit.
The Flyers (30-36-9, 69 points) have won two straight since interim coach Brad Shaw took over for John Tortorella, whom the team fired on Thursday. Philadelphia was 1-10-1 in its last 12 games under the veteran coach and had not won a game in regulation since beating the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 25.
Under Shaw, the Flyers have scored 13 goals in their two victories, including a 7-4 takedown of the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday. Seven players recorded two or more points in the comeback win. Ryan Poehling scored two goals with an assist, Noah Cates recorded a goal and two assists, and Matvei Michkov finished with two goals.
That’s a far cry from how the team performed under Tortorella, known for his demanding style. In his last six games behind the bench, Philadelphia scored 10 goals and went 0-5-1 in the stretch.
Shaw, who served as an assistant under Tortorella, told reporters after Saturday’s win that he hasn’t “tried to make it any lighter,” but admitted he’s not like his old boss. Winning is fun, he said, and he’s enjoying the opportunity for now.
“I said this the other day, I think our job is to pump energy into that (locker) room, help them get through these last seven games, try and build something positive,” Shaw said. “If that helps this team in September and into the start of (next season), then perfect.”
Michkov shares the team lead in goals (24) with Travis Konecny. The Russian forward, 20, has points in five straight contests.
While the Flyers sit next to last in the Eastern Conference, they still maintain a fleeting playoff chance. As of Sunday, Philadelphia was eight points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final wild-card spot in the conference. However, six teams stand between Shaw’s club and the Canadiens.
Meanwhile, the Predators (27-38-8, 62 points) have officially been eliminated from Stanley Cup playoff contention. Coach Andrew Brunette’s team has lost two straight and is 2-6-1 in its last nine games.
On Saturday, Nashville fell at home to the Vegas Golden Knights 3-1 despite scoring the game’s first goal. The Predators have scored just 15 goals in their last nine contests, and that includes a 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs last Sunday.
Brunette said he liked how his team played but added that getting the puck into the net has been a challenge lately.
“We just had trouble generating inside, big chances, and saying that, we had our opportunities to score,” he added. “We had a breakaway, a couple 2-on-1s, and just it’s hard for us.”
The Predators’ leading scorers are all age 30 or older. Center Filip Forsberg leads the team with 28 goals and 39 assists. He’s tallied at least one point in six of the last seven games. On Saturday, he assisted on Ryan O’Reilly’s 17th goal of the season. That tally ended an 11-game dry spell for 34-year-old center.
Nashville will likely be without Colton Sissons. The veteran center, who has played all 11 seasons of his career in Nashville, needed to be helped off the ice after sustaining a lower-body injury in the first period Saturday.
The Hockey News reported Sissons used crutches as he left the arena late in the game.
