Flyers among NHL’s top offenses, worst defenses

One thing seems to be certain if you’re heading to any Flyers game this season: There will be a lot of goals scored.

If you add together the Flyers goals scored per game (2.87, the seventh best in hockey) and their goals allowed per game (2.97, the fifth most) you have the second highest total in the NHL, second by a tenth of a goal to the lowly Islanders in these categories combined.

The team has scored 112 goals in 39 games, the fourth most in the NHL and boasts scorers in the top 10 in both goals (Wayne Simmonds) and assists (Jake Voracek).

Their offense has kept them competitive and has them in playoff contention, but it hasn’t won quite as much as it should.

In Sunday night’s shootout loss to the Ducks, Philly shot the puck 55 times, finding nylon just three times and outshot Anaheim by 30 — but they still lost.

“Put up 55 shots, you’re going to win most games,” defenseman Michael Del Zotto said. “It’s unfortunate we didn’t get the two points. We’ve been in a little bit of a lull, but we keep playing like that, we’ll be successful.”

Not surprisingly, of 32 NHLteams the Flyers rank seventh in shots per game (31.3) but are also seventh in shots allowed per game (28.8). That advantage hasn’t translated into the standings as their 20-14-5 record is several points behind the Penguins, Blue Jackets and Rangers, the top three teams in the East.

“That’s the mentality you have to have,” Brayden Schennsaid of the Flyers’ ability to shoot the puck — despite their struggles elsewhere. “You can’t get frustrated by that. The more pucks you throw on net, the better chance you have scoring.”

Philly has a few days off before hosting the Rangers Wednesday night at 8 p.m. on CSN.