Flyers rolled by Islanders, but let's not panic about Carter Hart

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The Islanders yanked the Flyers back to earth.

And the Flyers had to yank Carter Hart again.

New York, which can beat you up and wear you down with its physical, forechecking style, handed the Flyers a 5-3 loss Sunday night at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

The Flyers (5-4-1) had their three-game winning streak halted, while Barry Trotz's Islanders (8-3-0) are now winners of seven in a row.

• Let's not freak out about Hart.

Sure, the numbers are not pretty. The 21-year-old has a 5.92 goals-against average over his last three games, two in which he was pulled during the second period. He has allowed 12 goals on 43 shots in that stretch after making 75 saves on 80 shots through his first three games.

But he's only 21. He was playing his first professional games in the AHL at this time last season. He didn't start well with the Phantoms, either, and then turned it on with the Flyers.

Hart's last game was Oct. 19 and he saw only 15 shots. He hasn't seen a ton of action, so he's struggling to find a rhythm. The Flyers were also playing the NHL's hottest team Sunday night.

As bright as his future is, Hart deserves some patience, too.

• Samuel Morin hadn't played an NHL regular-season game since April 6 and looked like it Sunday night.

The 6-foot-6 defenseman was exposed by Mathew Barzal on the Islanders' fifth goal. Shayne Gostisbehere misplayed the goal, as well.

After being a healthy scratch for the first nine games of the season, Morin entered the lineup for Robert Hagg. It's hard to simulate game action no matter how diligently you practice. Morin had a rough season debut and expect Hagg to be back in Tuesday against the Penguins.

• Morin wasn't the only one of the Flyers' defensemen to have a night to forget.

Gostisbehere was not sharp and has three points through 10 games. It looks like he's trying to do too much, which can wear on a player's confidence. During his career 2017-18 season, Gostisbehere had 12 points in his first 10 games.

Travis Sanheim had a pretty assist on the game-opening goal but struggled, as well. On one sequence, the 23-year-old was easily pushed off the puck, which led directly to Ross Johnston's 3-1 goal in the first period.

The Flyers' blueliners, which had been pretty good during the three-game winning streak, took this one on the chin.

• The Flyers were outplayed during the first period.

The Islanders were quicker and tougher on pucks. Fortunately for the Flyers, they received a late goal from Travis Konecny that kept them afloat and down only 3-2 at first intermission.

But it took New York only six minutes into the second period to seize complete control of the game.

The start, though, was just as impactful. The Flyers have been outscored 11-8 in the first period through 10 games. They haven't given games away but they haven't jumped on teams, either.

• The Flyers received first-period goals from Konecny and Jakub Voracek but couldn't generate much the rest of the way. Claude Giroux scored a goal in the final three minutes of regulation off a nice pass from James van Riemsdyk and then the Flyers emptied their net, but it wasn't enough.

• Next up for the Flyers is their first matchup with the Penguins on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

The big question: Who starts in net?

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