Philadelphia Flyers Hot & Cold Series: May 2-8, with Alex Lyon

This week, the Philadelphia Flyers faced two of the East Division’s top teams in the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals. It was certainly an exciting stretch, as the team won three of their four games and Cam York made his NHL debut. However, some Flyers have performed exceptionally well, while others have not quite reached the level of the competition. Each week, we’ll take a look at which Philadelphia Flyers players are on a hot or cold streak. This week, we’ll take a look at Alex Lyon and Ivan Provorov. Make sure to check streaks from last week as well as.
Hot and cold streaks including Alex Lyon
Hot series: Alex Lyon
In their two starts this week, Lyon have been excellent. He stopped 35 of 37 shots to seal a 7-2 win over the Penguins. His stickless blocker backup in the first half was worthy of the best reels. Against the Capitals, Lyon were not as successful as the Flyers suffered a disappointing overtime loss. However, he faced a significantly larger number of shots – 40 in total – and didn’t allow a goal until the last minute of the game.
For a fanbase accustomed to excruciatingly inconsistent goalkeepers, Lyon’s spectacular performance this week has been a breath of fresh air. Although his starts earlier in the season left a lot to be desired, it has been encouraging to see him improve through the last few games. Of course, Lyon are not the Flyers’ first choice for a goalkeeper. His place on the tandem is not even guaranteed beyond this season. Nonetheless, for now, Flyers fans can revel in a week of strong goalkeepers, courtesy of Lyon.
Cold series: Ivan Provorov
Provorov, although generally one of the Flyers’ most reliable players, was not looking good this week. In the second fight against the Penguins, he provided secondary assist on Justin Braun’s goal. However, in the previous game, he recorded a costly hang-up penalty that saw the Penguins open the scoring. (It wasn’t even necessary, as it was committed deep in the neutral zone.)
Overall, Provorov just looked a little baffled and out of touch. He misinterpreted a Capitals play that resulted in a goal. At times, his handling of the stick left a lot to be desired. And he also struggled to keep the puck in the zone during the power play quarterback. It’s not the kind of performance the Flyers want from Provorov, especially as a substitute captain and defense chief. He needs to find a way to get back to the consistent, disciplined game that has given him success in the past. And it all starts with reducing communication errors and senseless penalties.
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