Vigneault: Flyers veterans must put on 'big boy pants' to keep season alive
Philadelphia Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault is challenging his veteran players to lead the club's pursuit of erasing a 3-1 series deficit against the New York Islanders.
"When I look at this group, and I think of G (Claude Giroux) and I think of JVR (James van Riemsdyk), they were both there back that year, I think it was 2010, when the Flyers were down 3-0 and they came back," Vigneault told reporters Tuesday.
"At that time, they were the Joel Farabees, and the TKs (Travis Konecny), and the Provys (Ivan Provorov), etc, (Philippe) Myers, the kids that we have. (Giroux and Van Riemsdyk) definitely found a way to contribute. Now it's their turn to put the big boy pants on."
Flyers captain Giroux and winger Konecny, who led the team in regular-season scoring, are each looking for their first goal of the postseason. Vigneault called out his top talents after losing Game 3 but said Tuesday that their absence on the scoresheet isn't due to a lack of effort.
"I'm not at all questioning their will and I'm not at all questioning their work ethic on the ice," he said. "They have to find a way to come through.
"We have no choice. We have to start tonight. I think this is a great opportunity for those guys to step to the forefront, grab this opportunity, and go out there ... let's start by winning this game."
Vigneault himself is no stranger to playoff comebacks. He helped the New York Rangers erase 3-1 series deficits as their head coach in 2014 and 2015.
The Flyers will look to extend their series in Game 5 on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET.