The Philadelphia Flyers have been one of the National Hockey League’s biggest surprises this season. A team that many predicted to be a bottom feeder has shocked the league with their surprising play. However, the team has plummeted, dropping eight games in a row during the most important stretch of the season.

The losing streak featured losses to good teams such as the Florida Panthers and New York Rangers. However, the team has also had tough losses to teams at the bottom of the league with losses to the Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets and two losses to the Montreal Canadiens.

Hardnosed head coach John Tortorella has made headlines throughout the season as he has had no problem publicly calling out players who he believes to be underperforming. Tortorella has spoken during these losses, saying “This is rock bottom, tonight, for us” in a postgame interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “Hate to see us, at this time of year, be playing this way after all the good minutes we’ve put in throughout the year,” he added.

It’s hard to argue against his coaching, as for much of the season the team has heavily outperformed the low expectations that many had before the season began.

The team has been headlined throughout the year by the play of all-star forward Travis Konecny, a promising young goalie in Samuel Ersson, and the great play of youngsters Tyson Foerster, Cam York, Jamie Drysdale, Morgan Frost and Owen Tippett.

Unfortunately, this losing stretch has seen guys struggle mightily. Konecny has just one assist in his last five games and Morgan Frost has only one goal in his last five. Meanwhile, the team’s goaltending between Samuel Ersson and Ivan Fedotov has struggled.

The Flyers have two spots up for grabs that would guarantee playoffs. Third in the metro division or the final wild-card spot in the east. The third spot in the Metro is currently held by the New York Islanders who are up four points on the Flyers in the standings with a game in hand. The last wild card spot also isn’t easy either, with the Flyers competing with the Washington Capitals who currently hold the last spot, the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Detroit Red Wings.

“The team overachieved,” said James, a Feasterville resident. “The way Tortorella coaches; the team is now tired and gassed. This leads to the team collapsing and losing games that the Flyers would easily be winning earlier in the season.”

Despite the struggle, the Flyers still have some hope. The team has three games left in the season and they’ll likely have to win all three games to get in. It’s also likely they’ll need some teams to lose to jump in the standings.

Regardless, there’s still a chance and the team has done a great job getting themselves into a playoff race that many said they’d never be in to begin with.