After Saturday night’s Stadium Series beating at the hands of Devils, many Flyers fans may wonder if this 6-3 loss is the start of a downward spiral heading into the trade deadline. But fear not people! If there’s one thing to be taken from the team’s rather dismal 1-4-1 record outdoors, each loss has come with a bit of a silver lining in subsequent games that specific season.
During the 2009-2010 season, the Flyers’ first outdoor game was at Boston’s Fenway Park where the Bruins defeated the orange and black in overtime 2-1 thanks to Marco Sturm scoring the winner. The next game was not much better, a 7-4 drubbing at the hands of the Senators. However, the Flyers then rolled off consecutive wins against Toronto, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay and Dallas. The mini-winning streak started a run that saw them victorious in seven of the next nine matchups.
Still dejected about Saturday night and burning all your Rocky DVDs? Promising yourself grey gym pants will never be in your wardrobe again? Well in the midst of the 2011-2012 season the Flyers hosted the Rangers at Citizens Bank Park. They lost that one too 3-2 after holding a 2-0 lead. Despite that setback, Philadelphia then went out and beat Chicago, split a home-and-home series against the Senators before winning road games against the Hurricanes and the Islanders. So in short, winning four of their next five post-outdoor clashes.
Okay, I know you’re still irked from the MetLife mess and want to throw out all your Gaslight Anthem albums (don’t, they’re a great band). In February, 2017, a Pennsylvania showdown saw the Flyers again on the losing end to the host Penguins 4-2 although Andrew MacDonald had an assist. Following the game the Flyers shutout the Avalanche, beat Florida in a shootout (when that was unheard of before this season), earned a loser point against the Capitals and defeated Buffalo before losing to the Maple Leafs. Points in four out of the next five indoor games.
Do you see where this might be heading now dear readers? I hope so. On Feb. 21, 2021 the Flyers and the Bruins played a neutral site tilt in Lake Tahoe. The Bruins routed the Flyers 7-3 under the Nevada sun during that pandemic-shortened season. After that outing the Flyers edged the Rangers and shutout out Buffalo back-to-back by identical 3-0 scores. Although there was a loss to Pittsburgh the Flyers defeated the Pens 4-3 two nights later. So, four more wins in the next five games after the “big game” that aired nationally.
So, if history is any measuring stick, the loss on Saturday night might not be a disaster after all in the big scheme of things. If eight points are taken out of 10 against divisional foes like the Rangers, Caps and Pens to go along with the Bedard-led Blackhawks and Tampa Bay, it wouldn’t be the first time the Flyers rebounded from a big outdoor letdown.
(Thanks to Hockey-Reference.com for the results information.)
