Consistently Inconsistent

Just when you think the Flyers are about to turn the corner and string together consecutive wins or play a stretch of five or six solid games in a row, they lay an egg like they did in last night’s 4-1 loss to Montreal.

That’s been the pattern of this team since they dropped the puck in Calgary on October 4. One night they look like the Stanley Cup championship teams of 1974 and 1975. The next they resemble the NHL-worst club of a year ago. Commencing with a 6-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on November 21, the Flyers have alternated wins and losses.

Take this week as an example. In Tuesday night’s 8-2 thumping of the Penguins, the Flyers scored four power play goals, had 40 shots, and twin hat tricks from Joffrey Lupul and R.J. Umberger. They played an aggressive style that caused the Penguins to lose their collective composure and take foolish penalties, especially once the game got out of hand. Last night against the Canadiens, they came out flat, fell behind by four goals, and seemed utterly lifeless.

Another head-scratching trend with this team is their ability to show up against what were projected to be superior opponents, yet disappear against lesser foes. The Flyers are 3-0 against a Penguins team that beat them all eight times they met last year. They are also 3-0 against the Southeast Division leading Hurricanes, have beaten the top team in the Eastern Conference (Ottawa) and Western Conference powers Minnesota and Vancouver.

On the flip side, they’ve lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, Washington Capitals and Edmonton Oilers, all of whom would miss the playoffs if the season ended today.

So why the roller coaster ride? It’s hard to say. They’ve dealt with injuries to Simon Gagne and Derian Hatcher and survived suspensions to Randy Jones, Scott Hartnell, and Riley Cote. With so many newcomers in the locker room, it’s possible that they’re still working towards perfect chemistry. But the core has been in tact for the majority of the season.

Don’t get me wrong. In comparison to last year, when the Flyers were consistently awful, I’ll ride the tide of win-loss-win. As long as they get things figured out by May, they’ll be fine.

Richie Rich…Literally

The Flyers locked up future captain Mike Richards for the long haul courtesy of the twelve year contract announced yesterday. Richards has had a breakout season so far and currently leads the team in scoring. But his value extends beyond the scores sheet. He plays the point on the power play, kills penalties, defends the other team’s top line, and by all accounts he’s a locker room leader. Securing Richards for the better part of his career is the latest in a long line of prudent moves by General Manager Paul Holmgren, who should be a candidate for NHL Executive of the Year.