Quick Hits: Sept. 28, 2018
1. The Flyers fell to 3-3-1 on the preseason by virtue a 4-2 home loss to the New York Rangers on Thursday night. An atrocious second period was the Flyers' undoing, much as an awful opening period against the Boston Bruins on Monday dug a deep hole. Against the Rangers, the Flyers owned a 10-4 shot edge in a scoreless first period, got outshot 12-2 and outscored 3-0 in the middle frame, and outshot New York 16-2 in the third period. For more, click here.
2. Travis Sanheim returned to the Flyers' lineup for the first time since getting injured in the second period of the preseason opener in Long Island. He had some early-game issues but settled in as the match went along. That was at least one positive from Thursday's game.
3. Apart from the top pairing of Ivan Provorov and Shayne Gostisbehere, both individually and when together as a duo, it has been a rough preseason for the Flyers' defense corps. Injuries have been a factor, but so has ineffective play. Flyers coach Dave Hakstol was forthright after the game in saying that establishing the second and third pairings -- in whatever combinations they end up being arranged -- is one of the top priorities in the days remaining before the regular season opener on Oct. 4 in Vegas.
4. The combination of trying to get more out of 2/3 of the blueline, monitoring whether veteran goalie Brian Elliott recovers his game in time for opening night and getting Sean Couturier and Wayne Simmonds will be the obvious focal points until the opener.
5. The Flyers have an 11 AM practice in Voorhees on Friday and then depart for Boston, where they will play the preseason finale against the Bruins on Saturday. Brian Elliott will be in goal.
6. Corban Knight sustained an upper-body injury in the second period of Thursday's game and did not return for the third period. Flyers GM Ron Hextall said the player would be re-evaluated on Friday.
7. AHL: The Lehigh Valley Phantoms dropped a 3-2 decision to the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins in the preseason opener on Thursday. The Phantoms trailed 2-0 on closely spaced first period goals by WB/S but then battled back to temporarily even the score. Philippe Myers atoned for a behind-the-net mishap that directly led to the first WB/S goal by scoring a power play marker that cut the gap to 2-1. Cole Bardreau got the game tied. Reading Royals goaltender Branden Komm was in goal for the Phantoms, since none among Alex Lyon (injured), Carter Hart (Thursday's starter in the Flyers' game) or Anthony Stolarz (backing up Hart) were available.
8. Sept. 28 Flyers Alumni birthdays: Ray Emery (1982-2018), Steve Kasper (1961), Tom Sestito (1987).