After dropping six of seven games — including consecutive shutouts — the Flyers fired head coach John Stevens on Friday in search of an offensive jolt.
New coach Peter Laviolette’s debut wasn’t what chairman Ed Snider and general manager Paul Holmgren had in mind.
In Laviolette’s debut on Saturday, the Flyers suffered an embarrassing 8-2 home loss to Washington, the team’s seventh defeat in eight games.
Holmgren replaced Stevens with Peter Laviolette, who led the Carolina Hurricanes to the organization’s only Stanley Cup victory in 2006, when the Hurricanes posted a 52-22-8 record.
In addition to coaching the Hurricanes from 2003-09, Laviolette also was in charge of the New York Islanders from 2001-03.
Stevens posted a 120-109-34 record in four-plus seasons with the Flyers.
The Flyers — a Stanley Cup favorite going into the season — have just one win since Nov. 20, a 2-1 victory over the Islanders on Nov. 25. The Flyers now sit two points behind the Isles for last place in the division.
