Quick Hits: October 3, 2023
1) The Philadelphia Flyers, dressing a mostly "A group" lineup, skated to a tidy 3-1 win over the Boston Bruins (with a "B group" lineup) at the Wells Fargo Center on Monday night. You can only play the game and the opponent you're presented with on a given night and the Flyers took care of business in appropriate fashion. The Bruins were held to 14 shots for the game, and the Flyers spent the majority of the game in attack mode.
Cam Atkinson (1st goal of the preseason, four shots on goal), Travis Konecny (1st) and Joel Farabee (2nd) scored for the Flyers. Morgan Frost had a pair of assists early and at the end of hist first shift of the second period and went 9-for-11 on faceoffs on the night. Bobby Brink put forth another strong offensive performance despite not getting on the scoresheet.
Samuel Ersson went the distance in goal for the Flyers, backed up by Cal Petersen. Ronnie Attard (whose point shot was deflected home by Farabee), Sean Couturier and Owen Tippett chipped in one assist apiece. Morgan Geekie (1st, power play) notched the lone Boston goal, assisted by Charlie Coyle and Matt Poitras. Jeremy Swayman went the distance in net for the Bruins.
For a full recap and highlights from Monday's game, see the Postgame 5 on PhiladelphiaFlyers.com. The Flyers (2-2-1) wrap up the preseason on Thursday as they host the New York Islanders (2-2-0) at the Wells Fargo Center.
2) The Flyers current roster remains at 31 players, counting rookie forward JR Avon (who is rehabbing a PCL injury to his left knee and ineligible to be assigned to the Phantoms until he's medically cleared). Coming up today on PhiladelphiaFlyers.com, I will take a look at the roster as it stands and the remained roster spot battles as the NHL opening night roster deadline (Oct. 9 at 5 p.m. ET) draws nearer. John Tortorella indicated after Monday's game that his starting lineup in Thursday's preseason finale should be close to how the starting lineup will look on opening night in Columbus on Oct. 12.
3) Once the NHL regular season starts, I will resume the weekly "Friday Forecheck" column on PhiladelphiaFlyers.com except on Fridays when the Flyers are in game action. Additionally, when the Flyers do not have a Sunday game, I will do a "Prospect Roundup" looking at standout perfomers in the farm system over the course of the week. On a related note, Brian Smith and I are planning an episode of the periodic Prospect Pipeline podcast; likely for early next week.
4) The Lehigh Valley Phantoms are in preseason action tonight at the PPL Center, hosting the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Game time is 7:05 p.m. EDT.
5) Yesterday was a memorable one for the two Flyers prospects currently playing in the KHL. Flyers 2023 first-round pick Matvei Michkov (HC Sochi) played like a man possessed as his club upset SKA St. Petersburg, 5-4. Even apart from collecting a goal and two assists, Michkov fought for every puck on a shift-in and shift-out basis in a game that clearly had personal meaning to him. SKA still owns Mickov's KHL rights but loaned him to Sochi for the rest of the 2023-24 season after the player opened the season as a healthy scratch (despite a strong preason) and only dressed in one game, playing merely six shifts all night.
Since being loaned back to Sochi (a supposed KHL weak sister club) for the second straight season, Mickhov has produced 10 points (4g, 6a) in eight games while playing regularly in the top-six at five-on-five as well as being part of the power play. Sochi has won seven of eight games since his loan.
In the meantime, Flyers goalie prospect Alexei Kolosov recorded his second shutout of the season for Dinamo Minsk. Both of his wins this season have come in shutouts. For the season, Kolosov improved to 2-4-0 with a 2.20 GAA and .911 save percentage in six starts and one relief appearance.