That's the message Philadelphia Flyers general manager Ron Hextall shared following Tuesday's loss to the San Jose Sharks, the team's ninth-straight defeat.
The latest loss pushed Philadelphia to 8-10-7 on the season, but the team's recent play hasn't been indicative of its record. Five losses have come after regulation and two others have been decided by two or fewer goals.
"We're not playing poorly," Hextall told reporters Tuesday. "To look objectively at our team right now, to say we're playing poorly? No. Are we shooting ourselves in the foot at times? Yes, we are.
"I still believe we're a playoff team. We need to be better at some critical moments. But part of it, we need to continue to do what we're doing because we're doing a lot of good things."
The Flyers sit six points back of a playoff position. The team missed last year's postseason by seven points and hasn't failed to qualify for the playoffs in back-to-back years since 1994.
On Tuesday, frustrations over the losing skid spilled into the stands, as fans chanted for coach Dave Hakstol's firing, and later booed the team as it left the ice.
The Flyers have three days to prepare for their next contest, and possibly their first victory in more than three weeks, when they take on the Boston Bruins on Saturday.
Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews failed to record a shot on goal for the first time in his NHL career Tuesday in Calgary, ending a streak that spanned 103 games.
Matthews had two shot attempts, but one missed the net and the other was blocked by a Flames defender.
Auston Matthews didn’t even realize his streak had ended: “I won’t lose any sleep over it tonight.”
Not recording a shot wasn't enough to hold him off the scoresheet, though, as he assisted on Nikita Zaitsev's second-period goal in Toronto's 4-1 victory.
Matthews will get a chance to start a brand-new streak Thursday when the Leafs take on the Oilers.
Rock bottom is seemingly dropping deeper and deeper for the Philadelphia Flyers.
The club dropped its ninth straight game Tuesday, a 3-1 decision at the hands of the San Jose Sharks, and the Philadelphia faithful made sure to voice their displeasure over another lackluster effort.
Fans serenaded the Flyers with boos following the second period and once again after the final buzzer as the team left the ice. As has become somewhat of a common occurrence at Wells Fargo Center, chants of "Fire Hakstol" could also be heard during the game.
UPDATED: #Flyers are 0-4-5 in past 9 They've blown these leads: 2-0 at Jets 1-0, 2-1, 4-3 vs. Flames 1-0 vs. Canucks 1-0, 2-1 at Islanders 2-1, 4-2 vs. Islanders 3-1, 4-3 at Penguins 1-0 vs. Sharks
The Flyers' most recent loss prompted the team to hold a players-only meeting where they discussed the importance of remaining on the same page, captain Claude Giroux told Sam Carchidi of Philly.com.
Giroux also noted that Hakstol shouldn't be shouldering the blame for the Flyers' play during their current slide.
Philadelphia hasn't tasted victory since its 3-1 triumph over the Minnesota Wild on Nov. 9 and now sits just one point out of the second-last spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Flyers will now enjoy three days off before they tangle with the Boston Bruins on Saturday in another attempt to to halt their losing streak.
Rock bottom is seemingly dropping deeper and deeper for the Philadelphia Flyers.
The club dropped its ninth straight game Tuesday, a 3-1 decision at the hands of the San Jose Sharks, and the Philadelphia faithful made sure to voice their displeasure over another lackluster effort.
Fans serenaded the Flyers with boos following the second period and once again after the final buzzer as the team left the ice. As has become somewhat of a common occurrence at Wells Fargo Center, chants of "Fire Hakstol" could also be heard during the game.
UPDATED: #Flyers are 0-4-5 in past 9 They've blown these leads: 2-0 at Jets 1-0, 2-1, 4-3 vs. Flames 1-0 vs. Canucks 1-0, 2-1 at Islanders 2-1, 4-2 vs. Islanders 3-1, 4-3 at Penguins 1-0 vs. Sharks
The Flyers' most recent loss prompted the team to hold a players-only meeting where they discussed the importance of remaining on the same page, captain Claude Giroux told Sam Carchidi of Philly.com.
Giroux also noted that Hakstol shouldn't be shouldering the blame for the Flyers' play during their current slide.
Philadelphia hasn't tasted victory since its 3-1 triumph over the Minnesota Wild on Nov. 9 and now sits just one point out of the second-last spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Flyers will now enjoy three days off before they tangle with the Boston Bruins on Saturday in another attempt to to halt their losing streak.
Anze Kopitar's career year continued Tuesday night against the Detroit Red Wings, notching two goals and an assist in the Kings' 4-1 victory.
With the two-goal performance, Kopitar now has 12 through 25 contests, which is the same amount he had in all 76 games he played in last season.
In fact, Kopitar is now on pace for 39 goals and 92 points - both of which would surpass his previous career highs of 34 and 81 set back in 2009-10.
As one of the league's best defensive centers, Kopitar could very well be given some Hart Trophy consideration if he continues this offensive pace. Without Jeff Carter in the lineup for the majority of the season, it's hard to imagine where the Kings would be without Kopitar's elevated play.
The NHL Officials Association went above and beyond for a young boy with aspirations of becoming a referee when he grows up.
Reddit user Jowilant said her son Ben, who's in Grade 3, emailed the association to ask some questions about the profession. He not only received a response from referee Tom Chmielewski, but was also gifted a care package that included an official NHL rule book, two whistles, and a handwritten note.
"Thank you for your interest in the life of an NHL referee. Hope I was able to give you some useful information," Chmielewski wrote. "Best of luck in your future. Always work hard and have fun. All the best."
Regardless of the final result, the New York Islanders' 2017-18 season is only going to be defined by John Tavares' next move.
The perennial Hart-worthy superstar and organizational linchpin will be an unrestricted free agent in July if he and the Isles, who selected Tavares first overall in 2009, can't reach an extension before the end of the season.
Tavares has affirmed his interest in staying with the club numerous times, but any potential information on offers and negotiations from the team's standpoint has largely been kept under wraps, which is a reasonable approach considering the magnitude of the situation.
The journey down the winding road to the end of his current contract has seen Tavares endure changing arenas, new owners, a coaching change, and only one playoff series win - a double-OT triumph in Game 6 of the 2016 first round, the clincher courtesy of No. 91.
That said, the situation between Tavares and the Islanders might be as good as it's ever been, right now. But is it enough to keep him around?
Individually, Tavares has been outstanding this season, netting 26 points through 23 games. But somewhat quietly, the Islanders have been playing quite well as a whole. Since Doug Weight took over as head coach in January, he's led his club to 38-19-6 record - the third-most wins in the NHL over that span, behind only the St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals.
Weight managed to salvage what seemed like a lost season in 2016-17 and fell one point shy of the final playoff spot in the East. Right now, the Islanders sit third in the new-look Metropolitan Division, just two points out of first with one game in hand on both the Devils and Blue Jackets.
The Islanders' success through this point in the season is mainly credited to the NHL's third-most potent attack - but at last, Tavares isn't the only contributor. Josh Bailey, his right winger, actually leads the club in scoring thanks to 23 helpers. Elsewhere, Nick Leddy is tied for second among defesemen in points with 20, and rookie dynamo Mathew Barzal is blazing his way to the Calder Trophy, averaging a point per game.
The Islanders seemingly have enough complimentary weapons throughout the lineup to compete this season, and if a chance at the Stanley Cup is Tavares' main focus before signing what would likely be the final long-term contract of his career, general manager Garth Snow might want to prove winning is a possibility in Brooklyn.
The team's weakness is between the pipes, as Jaroslav Halak and Thomas Greiss each have .903 save percentages through 12 games played. Elite netminders don't exactly grow on trees, and acquiring talent in goal via trade is next to impossible.
Defensively, the Islanders average 32.3 shots against per game, which ranks ninth in the NHL, and they sit 12th at 2.28 expected goals against per 60 minutes at five-on-five (Corsica). Still, adding a significant piece to the blue line to solidify the roster and potentially help mask any problems created by Halak or Greiss might be the best avenue for New York to achieve anything going forward.
Asset wise, the Islanders obtained three high-end picks in the Travis Hamonic deal, and have a few promising prospects who haven't quite scratched the NHL surface yet and could become expendable. It might be a steep cost, but if it helps keep Tavares in town, it's definitely worth exploring.
