Giroux’s health will be key for the Flyers as the season starts. Credit: Getty Images
If someone told you the Flyers would have scored five goals in their first two games — with Claude Giroux netting two points and Wayne Simmonds netting three — you’d think they have at least one win, right?
But for the third time in three seasons, the Orange and Black are 0-2 to start a season. Your star, Giroux, going minus-four in a 6-4 loss to the Devils will do that.
“It’s always not the start we want,” Giroux said. “We have a lot of work to do, we know that. We played a lot of good minutes the way we wanted… [but] a lot of mistakes that we’re going to look over and that’s how we’re going to get better.”
The Flyers’ hole, this year, is due in part to their depleted defense. Already sans Kimmo Timonen who is out until at least 2015 recovering from blood clots in his lungs, Philadelphia suffered an unexpected loss in Braydon Coburn, who will likely miss some serious time with a lower body injury.
“Oh, it’s hard. Hard to replace him, but we got guys capable,” Flyers coach Craig Berube said. “I thought [Nick] Schultz came in there and played a good game.”
Luke Schenn was a career worst minus-five in the defeat — making it clear that the defense must improve.
“Well a couple of fluky plays, one goes off his skate, but there is not much he can do there,” Berube said in defense of Schenn. “He can play better like everybody else. Listen, we did a lot of good things, but it’s not good enough. Obviously we lost the game and everybody’s got to do better.”
Philly fans are known for getting on their teams when times are tough, and the Flyers are already feeling the heat, even with 80 games remaining.
“It’s too early in the season. It’s two games,” Berube said. “Like I said, I think the first two games, we’ve had some guys who have played decently and we have had some guys that haven’t. It’s inconsistent right now. I think were inconsistent as a team. I think sporadic at times out there.”
The Flyers have another home game Saturday night at 7 p.m. against Montreal. Hopefully they can avoid a start like 2012 (2-6) or 2013 (1-7).
“I liked some of things I saw for sure,” Berube said optimistically. “We’ll see come Saturday.”
