PHILADELPHIA — One of the reasons the Flyers have struggled so much recently is that their special teams haven’t been too special.

Entering Saturday’s game against the New York Rangers, the Flyers’ power play had slipped to last in the NHL at 15.0 percent. The NHL average is 20.8.

But perhaps the even more alarming number is the penalty kill. It started the season in the middle of the pack but, through 46 games, has fallen to 23rd at 77.8 percent.

The Flyers looked better on the penalty kill in Saturday’s 6-3 loss to the Rangers but still gave up one power-play goal on three attempts.

Speaking at a pregame press conference at Xfinity Mobile Arena, coach Rick Tocchet discussed the issues facing his team outside of 5-on-5 play.

The PK surrendered three goals in Thursday night’s 6-3 loss at Pittsburgh. It was the second half of a back-to-back, in which the Flyers have struggled the past two seasons.

“You have to look at the whole picture,” Tocchet said. “Special teams have been a problem, they’re biting us, especially right now. The PK has been leaking oil. Playing Devo (Christian Dvorak) on the power play, PK, … is there fatigue?”

It would help if the Flyers didn’t take so many penalties, too. Nineteen teams have been shorthanded fewer times than the Flyers’ 144 entering Saturday action. The Flyers have only 20 power-play goals, last in the league.

“There seems to be a little bit of nervousness,” Tocchet said. “If you look at the last game (at Pittsburgh), we had three chances at the top of the slot. I think we had two blocked. That’s execution. These are the things we’re not getting right now.”

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After the loss to the Rangers, Travis Konecny gave his thoughts on what has gone wrong of late.

“We have to understand there are going to be lows like this,” he said. “There’s plenty of time to turn it around.”

Konecny is in his ninth year in the NHL. As one of the team’s alternate captains, he speaks up when he feels it’s necessary.

Now might be one of those times. The Flyers went into this skid not having lost more than two games in a row all year.

“I thought the effort was there,” he said. “We all put in the time in practice. Things go the other way, the bounces and then we get frustrated. It’s been like a weird, frustrating two weeks.”

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NOTES >> Goaltender Dan Vladar, injured against Buffalo Wednesday, is listed as day-to-day, according to Tocchet. “It depends on how he feels after therapy – after 24 hours, whether you get better or not, what percentage,” Tocchet said. “So it’s hard to pinpoint exactly.”…Bobby Brink did not play Saturday but could return on a road trip through Vegas, Utah and Colorado. Tocchet reported that Brink skated Saturday morning. … Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen has been sidelined with an upper-body injury and will not make the trip. He was placed on injured reserve Saturday. “I don’t think it’s a long-term injury,” Tocchet said. “Is it a week thing? Maybe.” … Tocchet put rookie Denver Barkey on a line with Matvei Michkov against Pittsburgh, and both players seemed to respond. Michkov connected for his 10th goal of the season, just his second since Dec. 1. “They seemed to have a little fun playing with each other,” Tocchet said. “There was a little bit of pep in their step. For them it’s being close together. A little chemistry, finding each other. I want them to have some fun and make some plays.”