At the most important time of the year, it just seems like the Flyers can’t have nice things.
First it was Sean Couturier, who missed three weeks with his lower-body injury.
Then it was Claude Giroux, who missed three games with his upper-body injury.
And now it’s Jake Voracek, who’s stuck in a walking boot and will miss approximately the next two weeks.
With all the injury-related lineup turnover, Flyers head coach Dave Hakstol has had to juggle his lines seemingly at every turn.
But in Voracek’s absence, Hakstol may have stumbled onto something with the trio of Brayden Schenn, Giroux and Wayne Simmonds.
Highlighted by Schenn’s first career hat trick and four assists from Giroux, the triumvirate exploded for nine points, including all five goals, in the Flyers’ 5-3 victory over the visiting Calgary Flames on Monday evening (see game recap).
Since being put together when Giroux returned to the lineup for Saturday’s win over Arizona, the trio has accounted for six goals and eight assists.
“I can’t put a finger on it,” Hakstol said when asked about why the Flyers’ new-look first line has played so well together. “We talked about that group making plays. They made a lot of plays offensively [Monday]. They could have had a couple earlier. But they were clicking. When you’re on, you get that feel out there. And that group was on tonight.”
Giroux and Simmonds, along with Voracek, have seen their fair share of time together as the season has worn on.
Where as Voracek is more of a playmaker and distributor, Schenn has added a new dimension with his with pure offensive ability and finishing touch.
“I know I can play with those guys and I’m just trying to be as confident as possible,” said Schenn, whose hat-trick goal Monday set a new career high with 21. “I know I can make plays and produce with those guys. Right now I am just trying to do that.
“Tonight, I was trying to get the puck to G’s hands as much as possible. He was feeling it tonight. So you know with the three of — me, him and Simmer — I feel like we got some pretty good chemistry. Me and Simmer just try and get the puck in his hands and go to the net.”
Giroux seems to be enjoying playing on this newfangled first line.
“Makes my job a lot easier,” Giroux said.
Schenn gets tricky
Each of the goals Schenn recorded during his hat trick Monday night came in a different fashion.
On Schenn’s first tally, Giroux spun away from a defender in the corner and found his linemate all alone in front of Flames goalie Jonas Hiller.
“G obviously on the first one beat the guy off the wall and I’m open in front and he gets it to me,” Schenn said.
That goal tied the game at 1-1 midway through the first period.
On Schenn’s second goal of the evening, he deflected home a nice slap pass from Andrew MacDonald. The play was reviewed to see if there was a distinct kicking motion, but play stood and the Flyers took a 3-1 lead at the 15:27 mark of the second period.
On the hat-trick capper, Schenn had a power-play slam dunk at the goal mouth after a seam pass from Mark Streit. When the horn sounded, it rained hats (and a shoe) throughout the Wells Fargo Center.
"It’s nice to get rewarded. I was just a recipient of three great plays," Schenn said of his achievement.
Weekly planner
Ahead of Thursday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers, the Flyers have a complete day off Tuesday before returning to SkateZone in Voorhees, New Jersey, for practice Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.
Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Penguins, the team the Flyers sit three points back of in the wild-card hunt in the East, have to travel to Washington to take on the NHL-best powerhouse Capitals on Tuesday. The Penguins then host newly acquired Eric Staal and the New York Rangers on Thursday.
It’s scoreboard watching season, as Giroux admitted Monday.