Even if it is just the preseason, it’s good to get a dominant effort from start to finish.
The Flyers did just that in their 5-1 drubbing of the Bruins at the Wells Fargo Center on Thursday night. Five different players scored and the Flyers struck twice on the man-advantage to end their recent power play woes.
Alex Lyon, called up earlier in the day to make the spot start with Michal Neuvirth sick and Brian Elliott off to be honored by his alma mater, made 31 saves on 32 shots in net for the win.
It was a team effort in all phases and one that coach Dave Hakstol surely will welcome given that the Flyers now have just one preseason game left before they start the regular season.
First period
The Flyers were eager to get to their power play woes under way in this one, missing on a pair of early power play chances in the first five minutes.
The first power play unit moved the puck well in their first chance of the night, generating a nice backdoor passing play from Wayne Simmonds to Jake Voracek, who was stopped by Tuukka Rask. The second power play didn’t generate much besides a Shayne Gostisbehere point shot that Task turned aside easily.
Boston thought they took a 1-0 lead with 9:24 left in the first, but the officiating crew waived off a Brad Marchand goal because Marchand used his glove to re-direct a puck into the net. The crew was on top of the play and waived the goal off almost immediately.
Someone please tell Brad Marchand that in hockey you have to use your stick, not your hand. Thx pic.twitter.com/E8OIjZfAhF
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) September 28, 2017
A few minutes later it was the Flyers’ turn to have a goal disallowed. This time it was Simmonds’ stick above the crossbar on a tip in front of a Gostisbehere shot that found its way past Rask.
The Flyers wouldn’t have to wait long to take an actual 1-0 lead, however. Still on their third power play of the night, the second unit would provide the goal with a pretty passing play between Nolan Patrick, Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny. Konecny would get the payoff, marking the third goal of the preseason for the second-year player.
A power play goal! Travis Konecny!
1-0 Flyers pic.twitter.com/3wg08FdLgD
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) September 28, 2017
Boston thought they had an answer with a Jake DeBrusk tally at the 14:11 mark, but DeBrusk was ruled to have interfered with Flyers goalie Alex Lyon after a challenge by Flyers coach Dave Hakstol. It was the third goal disallowed in the first period.
With just 10 seconds left in the first the Flyers would take a 2-0 lead thanks to a Jake Voracek goal off a rebound of a Radko Gudas shot. Voracek sprung on the loose puck and beat Rask blocker side with a rocket of a shot.
JAKE THE 🐍
2-0, THE GOOD GUYS pic.twitter.com/euc82cvGV0
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) September 28, 2017
Second period
The Bruins came out flying in the first minute of the second, but Alex Lyon moved post-to-post to deny Charlie McAvoy and keep the Bruins scoreless with the Flyers a little flat to begin the frame.
After surviving a surge from the Bruins to start the period the Flyers settled in and would take a 3-0 lead on a Brandon Manning goal at the 4:51 mark. It was a perfectly placed shot by the veteran defenseman, who found space thanks to a nice pass from Jake Voracek. Claude Giroux would pickup the other assist.
Brandon Manning, offensive defenseman
3-0 Flyers pic.twitter.com/6ejY8iQsnz
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) September 29, 2017
The Flyers weren’t done scoring in the second, not even on their first penalty kill of the night.
With Sean Couturier in the box rookie Sam Morin rushed up ice and made a beautiful pass across to Wayne Simmonds, who put the puck into the empty net to push the Flyers’ lead to 4-0 with just over 11 minutes left in the second. Morin skated wide of about four Bruins defenders and Simmonds broke in behind them for the slam dunk.
Sam Morin is pretty good… oh and Wayne Simmonds scored.
That was neat.
4-0 Flyers pic.twitter.com/RWMMrQiH4e
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) September 29, 2017
With the Flyers thoroughly dominating the action tempers flared between the two teams late in the third and after some pushing and shoving Nolan Patrick ended up with his first NHL fight against David Krejci. As if Flyers fans weren’t already excited enough about their second overall pick, he went and got into a fight in just his seventh game.
👊NOLAN PATRICK VS DAVID KREJCI👊 pic.twitter.com/ZhGweSwl77
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) September 29, 2017
Alex Lyon made his best saves of the night with 1:59 left in the second on a pair of stops in quick succession on David Pastrnak and Kevan Miller as the Bruins were shorthanded. Lyon, starting for Michal Neuvirth (illness), made 19 saves through two periods, but none were better than those two.
Third period
After allowing four goals on 18 shots, Tuukka Risk would give way to Malcolm Subban in goal for the Bruins.
David Krejci would open the scoring for Boston with a tally just 48 seconds in to cut the Flyers’ lead to 4-1. Kenny Agostino and David Pastrnak got the assists on the goal.
The Flyers’ power play would answer with a Sean Couturier goal at the 4:06 mark to extend the lead back to four goals at 5-1. Travis Konecny and Ivan Provorov got the assists on the Flyers’ second power play goal of the night.
coooooooooooooots
5-0 Flyers pic.twitter.com/kHnLCXtiVQ
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) September 29, 2017
Alex Lyon would hold down the fort the rest of the way as the Flyers improved to 3-1-3 in the preseason.
Next up: Sunday vs. Islanders, Wells Fargo Center, 5pm on NHL Network, TCN and 97.5 The Fanatic
