10-game Win Streak Something Flyers Can ‘draw Upon' Later in Season

DALLAS – When a long winning streak ends, the hope is your team remembers what started it, and keeps that going later in the season when they hit a rough patch of ice.
 
“We knew we weren’t going to win out the rest of the year,” said goalie Steve Mason, who saw his personal-best eight-game win streak end with Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the Stars, that also ended the Flyers' 10-game win streak (see story).
 
“Overall, we found different ways to win and it will last for a while. Different guys stepped up at key opportunities. It’s something I think, if the going gets tough later on, not just individually, but as a team, something we can draw upon. 
 
“This team has the capabilities to warrant a stretch like this and we’ll start a new one on Monday.”
 
The Flyers will head into the Christmas break with three games next week, starting Monday at the Wells Fargo Center against Nashville.
 
Their 10-game win streak now ranks as the third longest win streak in franchise history, equaling the one originally set in December 1982 to Jan. 13, 1983, then equaled again in December of 1985.
 
“A lot of tight games, but we found ways to win,” said Flyers captain Claude Giroux. “It’s frustrating to get that streak over with … it was a good streak and a lot of fun.”
 
Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said he didn’t learn anything he didn't already know about his club during the streak.
 
“It was just a continuation of our group showing up, working hard together,” he said. “I’ve said it all along. I don’t think anybody has been too focused on the extra-curricular stuff. It’s been about the two points every night. 
 
“I’m concerned about tonight and guys will be, as well. Two points were available going into the third period and we came up a little bit short.”
 
Wayne Simmonds said the streak only reinforces what he already felt about the club.
 
“Even without this streak, we knew we were a good team,” Simmonds said. “Right before we started it, we were playing good hockey. We had full confidence. 
 
“You build up a 10-game winning streak, it’s pretty cool. It’s over with now and we got to start again. You build on the positives you had during the streak.
 
“We collected a lot of valuable points. We lost today but we have three games before Christmas and we got to start another streak. We can’t let one loss damper our spirits. We know we played a lot of good hockey.”
 
Loose pucks
Giroux led the Flyers with four shots on goal and was 13 for 22 on faceoffs (59 percent). The Flyers had 32 shots on Stars goalie Antti Niemi. … Brayden Schenn had three shots on goal and was 10 for 15 on faceoffs (67 percent). … This was the third straight game the Flyers did not score a power-play goal. Their lone chance saw Dallas clear the zone five times. It was the fewest number of power plays the Flyers have had in 10 games. … Michael Del Zotto led the Flyers with seven hits. Fellow defenseman  Andrew MacDonald led with four blocked shots.