Ah the shootout, how I hate you so.

And no, it’s not because the Flyers have lost their last seven shootouts.

Tonight’s game featured the same problem we’ve seen dating back to last season: the Flyers aren’t playing complete games. The first period problems returned as the Ducks were able to score twice (Tim Jackson – 1, Devante Smith-Pelly – 1) taking advantage of poor play and poor mistakes from the Flyers. In truth, the second goal wasn’t necessarily bad, the skaters were just on for too long killing off Nick Schultz’s penalty and the fatigue caused the Ducks to capitalize. The penalties would turn to the Flyers’ favor as they scored twice on the man advantage in the second: once on five-on-three (Streit – 1) and the other from crowding the net (Simmonds – 5). A fantastic play and goal from Max Beleskey (3) would give the Ducks the lead back heading into the second intermission but the Flyers didn’t quit there. The third period was evenly fought until Jake Voracek (1) took matters into his own hands taking the puck around the backside of the net and sniping it over goalie Frederik Anderson’s shoulder with a backhanded shot. The goal would send the game into OT and subsequently a shootout where despite a skillful goal from Captain Claude, the Flyers fell two SO goals to one, losing the contest 4-3. This is the fourth time in franchise history that the Flyers have lost their first four games, the first time since the 2008-09 season (the Flyers did make the playoffs that season).

So what were the positives from tonight’s loss?

• Lil’ Wayne Simmonds has five goals and is now second in the league in goals–Rick Nash scored twice in the Rangers’ loss to the Islanders tonight for his fifth and sixth goals of the season.
• Claude Giroux played maybe his best game of the season dishing out two assists.
• Sean Couturier may not have recorded a point since the opener against the Bruins but he is making AMAZING off-puck plays. Check out how draws out the defense on Streit’s goal, that’s an assist in my book.

The Flyers hit the road for their next three games the first being Saturday in Dallas. The last time the Flyers went down to Texas didn’t go very well (Tyler Seguin had a hat-trick en route to a 5-1 Stars win on December 7th of last year) and with Seguin scoring another hat-trick tonight, Saturday could be very interesting. The puck drops at 8pm Eastern on CSN Philly.

Welcome back to THE THUNDERBLOG’S Hockey Coverage! I apologize for having missed the first week, still fully recovering from my “injury” so please bear with me when I miss a game and/or Roundup. This season should be a great one and we’re excited to cover all the action for you!