Flyers need to continue helping lone All-Star Claude Giroux

The Flyers scored nearly five percent of their season total in goals Tuesday night, a 4-3 win against the Canadiens.

Even after netting four scores to earn their 38th and 39th points of the season to keep pace in the hunt for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, Philly’s 82 goals land them second to last in the entire NHL. Meanwhile,Dallas has 145 goals in only four extra games played.

With Claude Giroux (29 points)representing the Flyers as the lone All-Star this season, the team knows it can’t rely on he, Jake Voracek(25 points)and Wayne Simmonds(22 points)to score goals if they intend to compete in the season’s second half.

“We need more out of us,” Brayden Schenn, who tied a career-high with three points Tuesday, said.”We can’t rely on G [Claude Giroux], Jake [Jakub Voracek), and Simmer [Wayne Simmonds], to score every night. Most nights it will, but some nights it won’t go in so you need that secondary scoring to win hockey games.”

Sean Couturier was one of the secondary scorers to convert in the Flyers’ latest victory, and it is hard-nosed guys like him and Schenn whose contributions could determine whether the team can become the city’s only playoff team this season.

“I think it’s important we need all four lines going on a consistent basis,” Couturier said.”Some nights we have only two or three lines. If one line isn’t going it can cost us at some point in different games. If we can get everyone going and on the same page and pushing in the same direction we’ll be tough to beat.”

The Flyers may have suffered through some bad luck that has stifled their scoring. Despite firing the 12th most shots on goal this season, 30.1 per game, the team has only found nylon on 7.2 percent of their attempts, second worst in the NHL.

Making it even more important that they can continue getting everyone involved offensively.

“I think it is real important,” head coach Dave Hakstol said Tuesday. “There are a lot of ways for you to contribute but for our team that is the formula for success, everyone needs to chip in and do their part whether it is getting on the scoreboard or winning a faceoff, blocking a shot, killing a penalty. We have to get contributions from everybody.”

The team has a quick turnaround as they hop on a flight to Minnesota to face the Wild Thursday night (at 8 p.m. on CSN) before returning home for a three-game homestand against three division rivals the Islanders, Bruins and Rangers.

“I think every game is important especially the second half of the season,” rookie Shayne Gostisbehere, who has seven points in his last eight games, said.”We want points every game. It shows in the standings right now, so we’re just going to take it game by game and shift by shift.”

The divisional games will be key from here on out.

“We can determine our own fate,” Wayne Simmonds said.”That’s the way we really want it. We got to get going quickly, we’re a little bit behind here and we have to catch up.”