It’s the one play that can shape the outcome of the game but you’ll never see it in the final boxscore — the faceoff.
Not a believer?
The last three teams to hoist the Stanley Cup finished near the top in faceoff percentage. The Flyers’ current five-game win streak coincides with the return of center Blair Betts from a shoulder injury. In addition to potting a second-period goal, Betts won 67 percent (8-of-12) of his draws and went 6-of-10 against Ottawa’s first line center, Jason Spezza.
“I think it strengthens everyone,” said Flyers coach John Stevens on how Betts impacts the team’s ability on faceoffs. “You get the matchups that you want, he’s strong in the circle and I’ve seen [Mike] Richards, [Jeff] Carter and Mika [Pyorala] all get better as a result.”
Carter, Richards and Pyorala finished a combined 48 percent overall against Ottawa. Overall, the Flyers won 55.3 percent of draws.
