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Takeaways: Flyers down Devils in final preseason game, final roster seemingly set

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In the final tune-up game before the season opener in Florida next Thursday, the Flyers played what was essentially the AHL’s Utica Comets at the Xfinity-Mobile Center. In front of a relatively small crowd just hours before the Phillies-Dodgers NLDS gets underway, the Flyers eked out a 4-3 shootout win over the Devils. 

The basics

First period:  16:09 – Kevin Rooney (Ethan Edwards, Austin Strand), 18:16 – Travis Sanheim (Jett Luchanko, Nikita Grebenkin)
Second period: 0:40 – Lenni Hameenho (Shane Lachance, Calen Addison) (PPG), 7:47 – Travis Konecny (Matvei Michkov, Jamie Drysdale) (PPG)
Third period: 1:31 – Paul Cotter (Arseni Gritsyuk), 18:07 – Travis Konecny (Drysdale, Sanheim) 
Overtime: No scoring.
Shootout: Bobby Brink – No goal, Arseni Gritsyuk – No goal, Trevor Zegras – Goal, Paul Cotter – No goal, Travis Konecny – Goal 
SOG: 36 (PHI) – 25 (NJD)

Some takeaways

Flyers A-Team shaking off rust 

After the Devils played the majority of their A-team in their last preseason game, the Devils brought a ton of their AHLers to South Philly to square off with a full NHL lineup for the Orange and Black. The result? Not the blowout you’d be hoping for, but also nothing that needs to raise too big of a concern moving into the season. 

The one thing worth pointing out though, is the reality that the Flyers might take some time to fully adjust to Rick Tocchet’s systems. There’s a lot to learn, and it might take a bit for the Flyers to really roll with the defensive zone systems in particular. There were various moments today, and in the other preseason games, where the Flyers just seem slightly out of sync in their defensive zone coverages as a team. Nothing out of the ordinary when a new coach comes to town. 

Luchanko’s inconsistency 

One of the big storylines of this final game was how big the stakes were for Jett Luchanko. With Nikita Grebenkin’s spot seemingly secure with his consistency in the preseason, Luchanko’s place on this roster was in doubt heading into this one. 

Luchanko, frankly, had a really tough start in the first 15 minutes or so of this game. Especially in the defensive zone, Luchanko made some questionable decisions with the puck that led to multiple turnovers in dangerous areas. But, to his credit, Luchanko settled down and played well off his linemates today – Garnet Hathaway and Rodrigo Abols. In the offensive zone late in the first period, Luchanko showed the poise that will likely earn him a place on this roster. Holding off pressure along the boards, Luchanko fed Travis Sanheim for the Flyers’ first goal of the game. 

Check-in on final roster battles 

In the middle of the game, the Flyers sent Dennis Gilbert to waivers, thus making the final cut to the roster. So, it appears the Flyers will likely roll with Noah Juulsen, Egor Zamula, and Adam Ginning for the depth defense, and carry all three of Luchanko, Grebenkin, and Abols. It’ll be really interesting to see who is the odd-man out in both the forward and the defense core on opening night, but for now the roster is set. If we were to guess right now, we’d be surprised if the Flyers kept Luchanko or Grebenkin just to not play them, so Abols will likely be the extra guy for the first game at least. 

Michkov’s behind-the-net prowess…

If there’s one thing clear about Matvei Michkov, it’s his strength and poise with the puck behind the cage. That skill was on display again in the second period, when Michkov carefully constructed a power play goal from behind the net. After being originally denied on a chance, Michkov regrouped behind the net and eventually found a seam for a goal-line pass to Travis Konecny. 

…and larger takeaways from the Flyers’ power play 

Culminating in the Konecny power play goal, there is so much more happening on the average Flyers power play now. It’s preseason, so take it with a grain of salt, but the Flyers just look so much better on the man-advantage than in years past. There’s actual off-puck movement happening, the quarterbacks at the top of the zone (Jamie Drysdale, Cam York) are distributing the puck well, and the Michkov-Zegras connection is alive and well. It’ll be interesting to see how much of a focus Michkov will have behind the net, and if the Flyers will try to leverage that strength of his moving forward. Lots to like, and the early signs of this power play are trending upwards for the first time in a while. 

A swing and a miss from Vladar 

The Flyers’ goaltending concerns veered its ugly head at the worst time in this one. A little more than halfway into the third period, Vladar played a puck at the side of the net, and completely whiffed on a pass attempt to a teammate. The Devils swarmed, and the puck eventually ended up on the stick of Paul Cotter and into the back of the net. That mistake was nearly the difference, before Travis Konecny’s goal with the net empty. 

Otherwise, there was lots to like with Vladar’s play today and in the rest of the preseason. He’s pretty calm in the net, has controlled his rebounds, and has the look of a goaltender who can put up at least average results. The Flyers need those league-average results so badly, so let’s hope. 

Konecny game-tying goal 

The Flyers didn’t want to end preseason without a fight, and also, without yet another preseason overtime. With the goalie pulled with around two minutes remaining, Konecny found some space at the top of the circle to rip a puck past the Devils goaltender for the tie. 

Zegras shootout excellence, Konecny shootout winner

After a relatively quiet and scoreless 3-on-3, the Flyers and Devils had to go to a shootout to finally end the preseason slate. In what may be an area of strength for the Flyers now, Tocchet sent out one of the best to ever do it, Trevor Zegras (62 percent success rate in shootouts all time). Zegras connected, and after multiple stops from Vladar on the other end, Konecny finished the game off with a goal in Round 3. 

One final takeaway: 

Go Phils. 

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