PHILADELPHIA – The future might be is now.
In the sixth game of the preseason, it was the young guns that made the most noise in the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 win over the New York Rangers that was capped off with a Jake Voracek overtime goal.
Led by Travis Konecny and Ivan Provorov, the Flyers escaped a scoreless first period to light the lamp three times in the second. First it was Jordan Weal, then it was Voracek followed by Konecny. Shayne Gostisbehere picked up a pair of assists as Ivan Provorov and Nick Cousins also grabbed an assist.
The future was prevalent on Monday night, and it may be making its debut sooner than expected as Konecny looks to making a continued push to lock down a roster spot along with Provorov. The two 19-year-old phenoms have strung together strong performances all camp and have really held their own against NHL-level competition.
Ron Hextall will have some long nights ahead of him as the team’s general manger decides what to do with its junior-eligible players.
What else stood out in the victory?
*Sam Morin, another youngster looking to earn his way onto the team at some point as a call-up this year, had a few impressive defensive plays. A strong play was made by Morin about midway through the opening period when a bouncing puck squirted out in front of Steve Mason to which Morin responded by poking it away just as a forward was stepping up for a shot. He also showed a willingness to shoot, which led to a few decent scrambles in front. Morin finished with eight shots, three of which reached net. It wasn’t all good, though. He made a blatant turnover where he essentially centered the puck in front of the net for a one-timer… past his own goalie. It was an ugly turnover that was not to his pleasing as he slammed his stick afterwards. He also got turned around 1-on-1 that led to a great scoring chance which Mason took care of.
*Roman Lyubimov looks like he’s nothing short of a lock to start on opening night. He’s a tough forward who has more skill than any other fourth-line player on this team. Early in the game, Lyubimov slashed through the Rangers zone to receive a pass for a crisp entry. He later did the same when Weal sprung him for a breakaway, which eventually resulted in him returning the favor on Weal’s goal during a delayed penalty.
*It’s been discussed at length already, so not too go into too much detail, but the boarding by Radko Gudas on Jimmy Vesey certainly warrants a suspension. First, the numbers were visible for Gudas and second, his track record with the league isn’t favorable. This could open up a spot for one of the fringe defenseman to make the opening night lineup.
*The Flyers killed off a 5-minute power play as a result of that Gudas hit. They looked really steady throughout the series, proving to be more aggressive than the Rangers were. They broke up a few entries and won a handful of battles along the wall. It’s a good sign to see the penalty kill clicking early on, especially against an NHL-heavy Rangers lineup.
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