Ray Emery was yanked after allowing five goals on 17 shots. He has allowed 21 goals in his last five starts.
After the game, Emery didn't want to talk. He tried to skip out on the media for the second start in a row. When he finally showed, he answered five questions with 34 words.
No one wanted to be held accountable. Except Richards.
For perhaps the first time in his captaincy, he spoke with purpose. He spoke like he plays: with his heart on his sleeve. Surprisingly, his powerful words took a few minutes to digest.
"We should have responded better than that," Richards said. "I should have responded better. We should have responded as a team better. I'm confident in the people we have in this dressing room.
"It has to get better and it's going to get better."
A lot has been made of his leadership style and qualities in the last few days. But he seemed to put them to rest on a night where it looked like his team got nothing but rest. They looked like the same uninspired team that cost John Stevens his job.
"I'm confident in the leadership that I have to improve the team. I think it's going to get better," Richards said. "We're at a dead end right now. And I'm ready to move the team forward."
Richards has said beating this slump isn't a one-game process. So far, he hasn't led them forward. Maybe, just maybe, that change in attitude and demeanor is a step in the right direction. Now, they're going to have to do it with Laviolette behind the bench.
With 12 games in the next 20 days, a stretch that could make or break the Flyers' season, Richards has his work cut out for him.
Carcillo suspended
After Saturday's game, Dan Carcillo knew it was coming. He said that you could "probably" bet on him being suspended by the league.
