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Recap: Flyers Earn 2-0 Preseason Win vs. Islanders |
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Recap: Flyers Earn 2-0 Preseason Win vs. Islanders
A 37-save shutout by Samuel Ersson, a key third-period assist and a late empty-net goal by Matvei Michkov elevated the Flyers to a 2-0 win over the New York Islanders in a preseason game at Wells Fargo Center on Thursday evening. Erik Johnson scored the game-winning goal on the rebound of a Cam York shot.
The game was scoreless for two periods. Philly struggled at times with turnovers and rough patches where they spent too much in their end of the ice. That said, the team generally did a good job of allowing Ersson to see the puck and a lot of the shots he faced came from the perimeter.
Michkov knocked at the door of getting onto the score sheet several times during the night. Finally he and the Flyers broke through. Most notably, early in the first period, started a sequence in which Morgan Frost nearly scored on a deflection from the low slot. In the second period, on the Flyers first and only power play of the game, Michkov had a prime scoring chance on a one-timer from the right slot off a Frost feed. At another juncture, Michkov made a nice cross-seam pass to an open Johnson skating in a few strides from the point. Owen Tippett set up Michkov for a scoring opportunity on a 2-on-1. Michkov also got the puck to Tippett (five shots on goal on seven attempts_ in shooting position a few times.
Michkov, making his Wells Fargo Center debut, made a pivotal play to win a battle and find York for the shot that produced Johnson's go-ahead goal. With the Flyers leading 1-0 late in regulation, Michkov hit the inside of the post on an empty net attempt. Moments later, he intercepted a New York turnover and fired it into empty cage for his first NHL preseason goal. Islanders goalie Marcus Hogberg stopped 24 of 25 shots before being pulled for an extra attacker.
2024 first-round pick Jett Luchanko also made his home preseason debut on Thursday. He had a quieter game than Michkov but played in a variety of different game situations (including when the Flyers led by one goal late in the third period, and also on a penalty kill). Travis Konecny, Travis Sanheim and York played their first game of the 2024 preseason, along with Ersson.
The line with Rodrigo Abols centering Oscar Eklind and Anthony Richard often struggled to get the puck out of the defensive zone. Their play picked up a bit when Rocky Thompson (who ran the bench in this game) moved Garnet Hathaway onto the Abols line.
After the game, Thompson praised the work of defensemen Emil Andrae and Helge Grans in this game. Thompson said that he Adam Ginning started out playing well but his game tailed off (with several unforced mistakes).
The Flyers' starting line combinations on Thursday were as follows:
Owen Tippett - Morgan Frost - Matvei Michkov
Tyson Foerster - Jett Luchanko - Travis Konecny
Oscar Eklind - Rodrigo Abols - Anthony Richard
Nicolas Deslauriers - Jacob Gaucher - Garnet Hathaway
Cam York - Travis Sanheim
Emil Andrae - Erik Johnson
Adam Ginning - Helge Grans
Samuel Ersson
[Cal Petersen]
The Flyers (2-1-0 on the preseason), will hold an 11 a.m. EDT practice on Friday at the FTC in Voorhees. On Saturday, the Flyers will host the Boston Bruins in a 7 p. m. EDT game.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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