How can the Flyers play one of their best road games of the season against a very good opponent in Washington one night, then turn around on home ice and look like an AHL club the next?
There was simply no carryover effect from the Flyers' hard luck 1-0 loss to the Capitals on Wednesday to Thursday’s 4-0 debacle against a lesser Vancouver Canucks club at Wells Fargo Center.
For five minutes, the Flyers had some purpose to their game and then … it all disappeared.
They couldn’t do anything right: On the breakout, the forecheck, zone time and especially on special teams where they simply brutal. Again.
Ray Emery, longing for a start for nearly two weeks, played just 21:21 before getting yanked. Rob Zepp relieved him amid cheers and got burned seconds later on the first shot he faced -- a breakaway.
That’s the kind of night it was for Craig Berube’s team.
Notable goals
Haven’t seen this in a while: Nick Bonino came into the zone and did a full pirouette to elude Michael Del Zotto. As he came off the spin he unleashed the puck from 23 feet and it beat Emery to the far side. An embarrassing goal for both Del Zotto and Emery and it gave the Canucks a 1-0 lead just 6:35 into the game.
Goalie report
Emery looked rusty in making his first start since Jan. 3 in New Jersey and he was pulled in that 5-2 loss. Emery gave up three goals on 12 shots. Zepp gave up one goal 10 shots.
Ryan Miller had a spectacular glove save on Luke Schenn in the middle stanza from point-blank range to really frustrate the Flyers.
Power play
The first two Flyer power plays were disorganized. No shots on either and four turnovers on the second one. And the Flyers have the No. 1 “home” power play in the NHL at 30.1 percent, too.
The Canucks were 2 for 3 for the game, while the Flyers were 0 for 4.
Penalty kill
What’s changed? The Flyers gave up two power-play goals. They are still ranked dead last in the NHL, too.
Fights
Kevin Bieksa won a first-period decision over Wayne Simmonds.
Scratches
Defensemen Braydon Coburn (foot), Nicklas Grossmann (right shoulder), forward Scott Laughton (upper body), and goalie Steve Mason (right knee) are all injured.
Up next
The Flyers will travel to Buffalo on Friday afternoon to meet the Sabres on Saturday night.