The Philadelphia Flyers can both thank and blame the NHL's compressed schedule to accommodate the Olympic break for their roller-coaster ride over the past month.
Thanks to the number of games jammed into the calendar, the Flyers say, they did not get enough practice time to quickly learn head coach Peter Laviolette's puck-possession system after he replaced the fired John Stevens on Dec. 4.
But the schedule did give the Flyers a stretch of games against some of the weaker teams in the Eastern Conference once they started to get the hang of it. Wins over the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Carolina Hurricanes and the New York Islanders started a four-game winning streak, interrupted by an overtime loss to the Boston Bruins in the Winter Classic last Friday and then a 7-4 loss to the Senators yesterday in Ottawa.
"It's still in its infancy and we're learning a lot as we go," Flyers defenceman Chris Pronger said of the team's new style. "We don't have a whole lot of practice time because of the schedule, but we're getting better at it."
Laviolette's system is essentially an up-tempo version of the left-wing lock, which calls for two of the three forwards to fore-check aggressively while the third reads the play and hangs back or joins the fun accordingly. There is even room for a defenceman to pinch in to chase the puck if necessary.
"We're starting to buy in," Pronger said. "In this league, you've got to be able to roll four lines and keep the tempo high, get everybody moving and getting into the attack. We've been able to do that the last 21/2 weeks. The win column shows that."
The win column since Dec. 21 shows the Flyers with a 4-0-1 record since they came out of a tailspin in which they went 3-13-1 and fell to the lower reaches of the Eastern Conference. They're now 19-19-3 overall and in 12th place in the East, but just two points away from the final playoff spot.
As the team plummeted earlier, reports persisted of a split between some of the veterans and younger players. The leadership of youthful captain Mike Richards, 24, was questioned in some media reports, although his teammates, including Pronger, 35, sprung to his defence.
"It's obviously tough being captain and when the team is not doing well," Richards said. "You feel some blame, but as long as you stick with it, it's going to turn around."
Insiders say the problem was never as serious as open confrontations between teammates. But there came a point where Pronger and one or two other veterans were said to have told the younger players that their concentration on their jobs needed improvement. This was reinforced by Laviolette with a couple of bag skates, and an attitude adjustment took hold.
"I don't think our effort was in question at times. It was playing smart, playing with enthusiasm, with energy," Pronger said. "We were working hard but we weren't working smart. In this league, you've got to concentrate on your job on the ice."
Individually, the team was helped by much better play from their top six forwards, particularly Simon Gagné, who came off the injured list on Dec. 19, Daniel Brière and Jeff Carter. Gagné has eight points in the past eight games, including an assist yesterday in the Flyers' loss, while Carter has eight points in nine and Brière has six in nine.
Brière had a quick answer when asked what is the most important factor in the team's improvement.
"Confidence," he said. "I know it's a cliché and I know it's probably overused, but when you don't squeeze the stick and you feel confident enough you don't make mistakes.
"We're making plays that two weeks ago we weren't making. We're playing, especially our top-six forwards, with the confidence that something will happen on every shift."
There have also been some unexpected bonuses, such as goaltender Michael Leighton. When Ray Emery was lost to abdominal surgery in the first week of December and then backup Brian Boucher suffered a severe laceration to his finger, Leighton was picked up from NHL waivers. He won four consecutive games for the first time in his NHL career.
Emery is now a little ahead of schedule in his recovery. He is back on the ice and could be in the lineup in a week.
Pronger said their recent play is encouraging but it will mean nothing if the progress does not continue.
"We need to continue to get better and better and better," he said. "In all the games, each week, each month, you have to see progress."