The Flyers have lost six straight games. Since starting the season 4-1, their record is 3-9. The collapse seems to be upon us. And a game against the Calgary Flames–a tough opponent who people fancied as Stanley Cup contenders before the first puck dropped–does not seem like the best way to avert it.

But the Flames haven’t lived up to the hype, to put it simply. Instead, they’ve accrued a record of 8-7-2, putting them below actual .500 and only slightly above “hockey .500”.

Between underperforming scorers in Jonathan Huberdeau and Andrew Magniapane, as well as some uncharacteristically leaky goaltending from last year’s Vezina runner-up in Jacob Markstrom, the Flames have struggled to gain points in the standings here in the initial stretch of the season.

In that way, the Flames seem uniquely vulnerable to an upset.

The Flyers currently have more injured players than any doctor has patients in a month. That list of injuries became longer with Travis Konecny and Scott Laughton being confirmed as out for tonight’s game. So at first glance, the Flyers seem uniquely incapable of delivering that upset.

But there is a glimmer of hope.

The Farabee-Frost-Tippett Line

Against Montreal, the top-line for the Flyers was borderline dominant. The Farabee-Frost-Tippett was electric in transition, and solid defensively. That line contributed to 2 of the teams’ 5 goals, while indirectly facilitating 2 more by being the line who initially started the offensive zone sequence that ultimately led to the goal.

The actual reason for this success can be seen in the strengths of each player, so I expect its potency to translate across more than one game.

Joel Farabee is a reliable defensive winger who can also attack in transition. Owen Tippett is a powerful and explosive skater who has become truly dynamic on the rush as the season has worn on. Morgan Frost is a reliable defensive center who can facilitate attacks up-ice with his legs or his passing ability.

Having Frost be the third man assisting the defenseman on a breakout after retrievals all but ensures that the play will get out of the defensive zone. For most of his lines this season, that meant him getting the puck to his wingers. And his wingers proceeding to cough the puck up at the redline, either voluntarily or involuntarily.

But with Farabee and Tippett, if he gets the puck to his wings and they have space to attack, then they’re going to attack. And they’re going to generate, at the very least, quality time in the offensive zone.

There’s still room to grow for that line, and despite my affections for all of them, they are not ready to be a top-line in the NHL against the other team’s dominant lines.

But I like where that line is at. And so does Head Coach John Tortorella.

Kevin Hayes, What Art Thou Doing?

That seems to be the question John Tortorella has been asking a lot recently. In the game against Montreal, Torts decided that he was so thoroughly unable to answer that question that he would demote Hayes to the third line.

Once Laughton’s injury prevented that from continuing reasonably, he moved Kevin Hayes to left-wing on the second line that Noah Cates is centering. Why is the veteran center being moved to wing, so a rookie who is natural left-winger can play center?

Well, it’s because Kevin Hayes’ defensive habits are truly awful. And at times, downright mind-boggling. He loves to flee the zone prematurely, sometimes ending up at the red-line before his team even has controlled possession of the puck. That is completely unacceptable behavior for a center, who–as I pointed out positively with Frost–is supposed to be the third man assisting on a breakout.

Tortorella echoed many of these sentiments, decrying Kevin Hayes’ “play away from the puck”. Tortorella was sure to point out, correctly, that an NHL head coach will always find something wrong with a player’s play away from the puck. But he was implying–not so subtly–that these problems far transcend those normal things.

Noah Cates, as Tortorella pointed out, is the more defensively responsible player between the two.

The Full Lineup:

My Prediction:

3-2 Flames victory in regulation.

The Flyers simply do not have the horses right now for me to pick them to win any hockey game except maybe against another bottom feeder team. That said, I expect the goaltending to be pretty good, as it usually is with Hart in net.

And I expect the top-line to continue some of what they displayed against Montreal. So all hope is not lost.

They may yet prove me wrong.

Mandatory Credit: NHL.com