NHL scores 2016: The Flyers may just be the unluckiest hockey team in the NHL right now

If you’re looking for solutions to your obvious curse, Flyers fans, I don’t have them. You may have to collect four random items from a wood nearby, but I sadly have no idea what to tell you if that doesn’t work.

It might be safe to say that after Wednesday’s 4-2 loss to the Lightning, the Flyers are quite possibly the NHL’s unluckiest team right now. Coming into a year with a pair of prospects poised to raise the Flyers from bubble playoff team to hopeful contender, the 9-9-3 start to Philadelphia’s year has been underwhelming.

For starters, the Flyers are without their backup netminder that posted a .930 even strength save percentage, according to Corsica, for them last year thanks to injury. Also injured? Sean Couturier. A defensive minded forward that’s regarded as one of the better shutdown weapons in the game, and who also found a scoring touch this season, is out for four to six weeks.

Between the injuries and the shocking scratch of stud defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere last week, there seems to be a lot of bad juju around this team. Take this 12-second window for the Flyers in the loss, for example.

Pretty lucky bounce, for the Lightning yes? Oh, and how about this?

Another fortuitous bounce and fallen Flyer later, a 2-1 lead for the Philadelphia turned into a 3-2 deficit.

Yet, it’s not all just bad luck. There’s some real mediocre hockey being played right now by the Flyers. Philadelphia took seven penalties in the loss. The defense has no direction. Steve Mason may be playing as best as he can in net, but there’s not much he can do when the team is playing uninspired before him.

The Flyers are as cold as ice right now, and their luck isn’t helping the situation one bit.

Red Wings 2, Sabres 1 (SO)
Capitals 4, Blues 3
Wild 3, Jets 1
Devils 5, Maple Leafs 4 (SO)
Penguins 6, Rangers 1
Flames 2, Blue Jackets 0
Lightning 4, Flyers 2
Predators 5, Stars 2
Sharks 2, Blackhawks 1
Oilers 6, Avalanche 3
Canucks 4, Coyotes 1
Kings 4, Islanders 2

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1. The Penguins feasted on the Rangers

It’s Thanksgiving! Did you think we wouldn’t have some puns for you all out there? Regardless, the Penguins exacted some revenge on the Rangers in a 6-1 victory, doing so in a dominant fashion. New York went the length of a period and change without scoring a goal... wait what?

Oh, and Sidney Crosby tallied a pair of goals and continues to lead the NHL in goals with 14. Just another day for the Penguins.

2. Auston Matthews lives!

After going goal-less in 13 games, Matthews broke out in a big way with two goals and an assist in the Maple Leafs 5-4 shootout loss to the Devils. The pair of goals will likely be glossed over as Toronto bungled a 3-0 lead, but the rookie has to feel good about getting pucks in the back of the net. After scoring four goals in his debut, Matthews had only two goals in his previous 18 games.

3. The Blackhawks now have other special teams problems

Chicago is still bringing up the rear in the NHL with a 68 percent penalty kill. Now, they’ve got problems with the other side of the coin: their power play. Not only is it just average in the NHL at an 18 percent clip, they’ve also allowed the most shorthanded goals in the NHL with five.

It hasn’t really impacted the Blackhawks much, who have only lost six games out of 20 in regulation, but it’s certainly troubling.

Alex Ovechkin notched his 16th career hat trick against the Blues, the most of any active player in the NHL! Watch the beauty below.

But wait, there’s more! Let’s put that into perspective for you:

He clearly has it out for the Blues, though.