Flyers set franchise record with seventh straight loss to open season

The Philadelphia Flyers lost 4-1 to the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday, dropping to 0-5-2 and becoming the only winless team in the Eastern Conference. The seven-game winless streak to start the season sets a franchise record, surpassing the six-game droughts of 1999-00 and 2008-09.

Fans at Wells Fargo Center booed the team throughout the third period and chanted "Fire Tocchet" after Carolina's final goal. Head coach Rick Tocchet admitted the team goes "off the rails" at times but said he does not know if the cause is experience or pressure.

“I think we go off the rails at certain points of the game. I don't know if it's experience, pressure, I don't know.”

General manager Daniel Briere told reporters in Boston over the weekend that it is "not the time to panic because of a bad stretch," though the Flyers have been outscored 28-8 this season. Since holding a 3-0 series lead over Pittsburgh in last spring's playoffs, Philadelphia has lost 13 of 14 games, including a second-round sweep by Carolina.

The game turned physical when Jordan Martinook punched Tyson Foerster twice in the face during a first-period scrum; no penalty was called. Carolina scored moments later. Andrei Svechnikov and former Flyers defensemen Sean Walker and Shayne Gostisbehere factored in the Hurricanes' goals.

Oliver Bonk took two penalties in his season debut after being recalled earlier in the day. Carolina held a 10-3 edge in scoring chances and 7-1 in high-danger chances during the first period despite only 11 shots on goal.