On a night when the Flyers went 0 for 7 on the power play, head coach Dave Hakstol didn't think the man advantage was at its worst this season against the Edmonton Oilers.
"I thought our second-period power plays were good," he said after the Flyers' 4-0 loss (see game story). "We had posts, we had opportunities. We had a couple plays that we just misfired on.
"We just didn't get a goal. We needed a goal and we didn't get that. I don't think anything in terms of energy [loss]. Pure fact is, we needed a goal. We didn't get it."
The Flyers were shut out for the fourth time this season. Much of that had to do with a tremendous effort from goalie Cam Talbot, but not cashing in on the PP played into it.
Talbot shut out the Flyers for the third time in the last two seasons, and did so with the help of the goal posts. Twice the Flyers struck iron on the power play and once at five-on-five.
One of those posts came from the stick of rookie defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, who has 12 goals, 35 points and 19 power-play points.
"Obviously we didn't have the best night on the power play, including myself," Gostisbehere said. "We just got unlucky out there. There's no excuses.
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"We just can't rely on the power play. We got to play five-on-five as well. When we get seven opportunities, we got to bear down a little bit."
Breaking barriers
Wayne Simmonds first met Willie O'Ree while with the Los Angeles Kings. The meeting was arranged by his agent, Eustace King, who Simmonds says has a "pretty good friendship" with O'Ree, the first black player to play in the NHL.
"At the time, Mr. O'Ree was living in San Diego," Simmonds said before Thursday's 4-0 loss to Edmonton. "So he came up for a game and I got the opportunity to meet him. It was unbelievable."
Simmonds said his parents made sure he knew who O'Ree was when he was growing up. On Jan. 18, 1958, O'Ree officially broke down the barrier when he made his NHL debut with the Boston Bruins against the Montreal Canadiens. O'Ree played just two games in 1957-58.
But in 1960-61, O'Ree returned to the NHL. The winger scored four goals and picked up 10 assists in 43 games with the Bruins. He played just 45 games in the NHL, but his impact on the game was everlasting. In 1984, he was elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
"He allowed all of this to happen for me," Simmonds said. "You know players of color in the NHL, he was the first guy to break down the barrier. I know growing up he was my No. 1 role model from the start. That was the first guy in hockey I knew, Willie O'Ree.
"When someone sets the stage like that and allows for myself and other players to be able to break down barriers to come do something that we love ourselves, it's a huge honor to get a chance to meet him. … Definitely, always Mr. O'Ree."
Simmonds said meeting O'Ree was the most nervous he's ever been. Snider Hockey, Flyers chairman Ed Snider's foundation, will host the 2016 NHL/Willie O'Ree Skills Weekend this weekend. Snider Hockey will have 150 kids at the Flyers' game Saturday night against Columbus.
"It's so funny because I remember my second year," Simmonds said, "I did Hockey is for Everyone. I met with Mr. O'Ree at the NHL store in New York City and we did hockey in Harlem. I have that picture and I got him to sign it. My dad has that in his man cave in his basement, so every time I got back to his house, I always see that picture and it brightens my day."