So, you’ve probably heard about the Flyers‘ preseason win over the New York Islanders on Monday night in Allentown. We have pictures and quotes and highlights and two stories about it on this here website, and … hooray!
Hockey’s back and the Flyers won!
You may have not heard much about the other preseason game on Monday night, despite the fact that it was at the exact same time as the Allentown game, and that it was the first official game hosted by Barclays Center in Brooklyn since it became the full-time home of the Islanders.
It’s weird that in 2015 an NHL game can happen between two NHL teams in an NHL building with NHL players, and yet there’s basically no record of it anywhere. The Flyers lost this game, 3-2, and we have an official NHL game sheet from it. But somehow, that’s it. No video highlights from the Islanders, little-to-no media coverage. The game was on the radio in Philadelphia, but that’s about it.
It’s kind of a joke that this can happen. The Islanders had cameras in the building — the video board inside the arena had to have something on it right? — but for some reason we can’t get a highlight package. I just don’t understand.
I don’t really understand why NHL teams can’t/don’t live stream every preseason game free on their websites. It’s not hard.
— Travis Hughes (@TravisSBN) September 21, 2015
I don’t understand how a preseason game happened at Barclays Center last night and I can’t even see highlights of it.
— Travis Hughes (@TravisSBN) September 22, 2015
According to those on the scene, we didn’t really miss much though.
@TravisSBN You’re not missing much, besides the beauty Leier goal. The best part of the game was when I found the Cuban sandwich stand tbh.
— Andy (@Andrewmooers) September 22, 2015
@TravisSBN I was there, there were about 2000 people in attendance and I got my tickets for $6
— i am sadford (@TheMikes_) September 22, 2015
Hmm, maybe that’s why the Isles didn’t list the actual attendance on the game sheet. (Apparently it was announced as 5,000ish in the building. Seems generous given photos, like the one above.) Brooklyn, with a population of 2.9 million, can only get 2,000 in the building. Meanwhile, in Allentown, a town of just 118,000 people, the announced at PPL Center was 7,981. That’s considered a small hockey crowd there.
Anyway, the Flyers’ excellent PR staff sent out some notes to media after the game. We’re going to share those with you in their entirety, because it is the best look at the game we have. We thank them.
* Wayne Simmonds, Andrew MacDonald and Sean Couturier wore the “A” in the game at Brooklyn, NY.
* Jason LaBarbera got the start in net… He stopped 18 of 20 shots through nearly 31 minutes of play. LaBarbera’s first real test came around the 13-minute mark of the first period when he made a great point-blank save on Kirill Petrov.
* Anthony Stolarz stopped seven of eight shots in relief, including all four shots he faced in the third period. His biggest test came when he made a great save on John Tavares nearing the end of the second period on a 2 on 1 down low.
* Radko Gudas played his first game as a Flyer and first game since Dec. 29, 2014.
“It felt great. It’s been almost nine months so I’m glad that’s behind me. Obviously a win would have been nicer but I thought we did a pretty good job overall,” said Gudas. “Since I’ve been here in camp the intensity has picked up and we’re playing a more physical game as the practices go on and it helped me prepare as much as I could, but the season is ahead of us and the games are important for me and as much as I can get before the season starts it’s going to make me a better player.”
* Shayne Gostisbehere led the Flyers with over 25 minutes of ice time in the game (25:14) which included an NHL mandatory 3 on 3 overtime period. He registered two of the Flyers three shots in the first period.
* Taylor Leier scored his first goal in a Flyer uniform when he fired it over Jaroslav Halak from the right side with under a minute left in the second period. He actually scored it with teammate Danick Martel’s stick who gave it to him from the bench when Leier broke his stick earlier on the shift.
“I had a lot of fun tonight. Even though we lost, it was exciting to get out there and the guys put in a really good effort,” said Leier. “I haven’t played an actual game since Apr. 21 so it’s been a really long time and the first 4-5 shifts were pretty edgy and jumpy and then I settled in.”
* Wayne Simmonds led all players in the game with five shots on goal.
Tuesday night’s preseason game, at home against the New York Rangers, is on both CSN Philly and NHL Network. Thankfully.
