In their first preseason game, the Philadelphia Flyers (1-0-0) showed many encouraging signs en route to a 6-2 rout of the Washington Capitals (0-1-0).
By comparison, the Flyers carried more of their NHL forwards, but the Capitals featured more NHL defensemen in their lineup. Ivan Fedotov began the game against Hunter Shepard.
First Period
Bobby Brink was hot off the start. He took an early shot from in tight that already got Shepard off-balanced on the post. Then, briefly lined up with Jett Luchanko, Brink won a puck battle in the defensive zone and generated a rush with Joel Farabee on the wing. Brink scored a backhanded goal, 1-0, with 16:00 remaining in the first period.
It was the first shot of the game from Philadelphia. There were no signs of low energy following an intense pair of scrimmage days after the John Tortorella rope skate.
Fedotov stopped Andrew Cristall on a breakaway. Cristall flipped backhand and went for the five-hole, but Fedotov closed on the puck, not allowing the rebound.
Brink and Farabee carried their momentum from Saturday into their matchup against the Capitals. They helped generate most of the early scoring chances, and most opportunities began outside the offensive zone. The Flyers successfully attacked because of winning puck battles in the defensive and neutral zone, and during the first period, Farabee and Brink buzzed.
Matvei Michkov created a beautiful scoring play, beginning with an entry crossed to Morgan Frost. Frost made a short pass to Brink, denied by Shepard. Emil Andrae mostly missed the puck on his rebound chance but cleared the puck behind the net, where Michkov dished to Frost along the goal line for a sneaky backdoor goal, 2-0, with 3:34 remaining in the first period.
Frost and Michkov were the first duo to strike chemistry in training camp. Michkov showed his passing vision twice to Frost on the scoring sequence.
Cristall has a loud slapshot. He put it to full use, directing his shot from the point into traffic. The puck deflected off Nick Seeler and past Fedotov, 2-1, with 2:40 remaining in the first period.
Cam Allen served a penalty, and Philadelphia went on their first powerplay. Noah Cates had an open shot but dished to Olle Lycksell, and Shepard made the save. The Flyers finished the first period still on the powerplay with 28 seconds remaining.
Second Period
Washington began to pick up the pace, putting more pressure on Fedotov after forcing turnovers on Lycksell and Michkov. Andrae made his presence in the offensive zone, already accounting for an assist in the first period, and chipped the puck deep behind the net to Farabee, who almost found Brink around the crease.
Jamie Drysdale looked great on the ice. He spoke openly about his health last season and his offseason earlier at training camp. On the powerplay, he created space with his skating. Drysdale dished across the blue line to Frost, who began a flawlessly executed bumper play by Owen Tippett for Farabee to score with 9:38 remaining in the second period, 3-1.
Clay Stevenson replaced Shepard in the preseason contest. He had to stop Luchanko in close with a quick setup by Farabee. Outstretched, Stevenson gloved the two-on-one attempt.
Michkov served a penalty for high-sticking, and Ivan Miroshnichenko cashed in against the Philadelphia penalty kill. Miroshnichenko whiffed on his one-timer chance, but after recovering the puck, he went to his original shooting spot and stepped into a snapshot, 3-2, with 1:25 remaining in the second period. The Flyers finished with a 75% success rate on the penalty kill (3/4).
Third Period
Luchanko looked like he could swim in the NHL, but it likely is not the route Philadelphia will take with his development. Nonetheless, a very encouraging impression from the Flyers’ first-round pick from the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. He recorded his second assist, receiving a drop pass from Andrae, then offering one to Brink, who sniped a backhanded shot with confidence, 4-2, with 14:23 remaining in regulation.
Cates was tough as usual on the forecheck, and it paid off to generate another possession. He battled with Eriks Mateiko and Alex Limoges, and then Rhett Gardner whistled the puck to Lycksell on the crease for a backhanded finish, 5-2, with 13:09 remaining in regulation.
Farabee created a give-and-go with Michkov, and again, Michkov showed his passing vision. He threaded a pass directly into the slot on stride for Farabee, but Stevenson put a pad on the first shot. Frost was down low to score the powerplay rebound with Mateiko in the box, 6-2, with 8:00 remaining in regulation. Philadelphia finished with a 66.7% success rate on the powerplay (2/3).
Shootout
Before the game, each team agreed on a shootout, no matter the result. Brink and Tippett scored on their opportunities, 2-0, in a best of three.
Next up, the Flyers visit the Montréal Canadiens tomorrow at 7pm.
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