It still feels like Philadelphia is recovering and processing the Eagles’ Super Bowl 57 loss. Almost two weeks later, the overall morale in the air of the city is getting better. The Sixers are gearing up for the stretch run to the playoffs after All-Star weekend, the Phillies just started Spring Training, and even the Eagles have been making their plans with who to keep from this past year’s roster. 

The Philly Sports Stat of the Week does not have many candidates this week, which is odd for a week in the middle of February.  In light of this, there will be no honorable mention this week. As I previously stated, the Sixers are returning from their own All-Star break, the Phillies just got cozy down in Clearwater, the Union start on Saturday, the ‘Big 5’ of Philly college basketball feels irrelevant this season, and then that leaves the Philadelphia Flyers. Sadly, the Flyers are being recognized for their faulty play after the NHL’s All-Star Break.

Philly Sports Stat of the Week: The Philadelphia Flyers have given up 23 goals in five games since February 12th. 

I mentioned last week in the PSSOTW that the Flyers struggled against the Seattle Kraken. It didn’t matter the opponent though. Philly has not been able to defend at all so far after their short break. The Flyers defense has allowed goals totals of four goals two different times against Seattle and Edmonton as well as six goals two different times against Seattle and Vancouver.

Only one of those five games the Flyers have won. That was a 4-3 home victory against the Calgary Flames. Those four losses weren’t pretty. In three of those four losses, goaltender Carter Hart was attempting hold down the fort for the team’s defense. Hart proved to be unsuccesful as he allowed 11 goals on 66 save attempts in his three starts against Seattle, Vancouver, and Edmonton. 

Specifically in the games against the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks, the Flyers were tied after two periods with the Oilers and down 3-2 after two periods to the Canucks. In each of those games, the Flyers allowed three goals in each of those games third periods. 

When looking deeper into the defensive issue, I found something that is equally as frustrating as it is enraging. The Flyers have the ninth-highest total of goals allowed in the third period as they have allowed 69 goals according to NHL.com’s stat page. 

What’s that old saying people use? Oh that’s right, it’s not how you start it’s how you finish. The Flyers need to work on completing games as they recently have started out well. At least they have the chance to redeem themselves heading into the weekend with a back-to-back slate of games on Friday and Saturday. The first is at home against the Montreal Canadiens and the second is on the road against the New Jersey Devils.