The Flyers were much more reminiscent of the NHL on Monday night, earning a 3-1 win over the Bruins in preseason play at the Wells Fargo Center.
Cam Atkinson, Travis Konecny and Joel Farabee provided the Flyers’ goals.
Morgan Frost recorded two assists, while Owen Tippett, Sean Couturier and Ronnie Attard provided one each.
The Flyers improved to 2-2-1 in the preseason. They still have one more to go before the regular season opener on October 12th.
After judging the first four friendlies from above alongside general manager Danny Briere, head coach John Tortorella was back behind the bench.
Could the last preseason game serve as a dress rehearsal?
“I think right now it’s going to be close to our lineup,” Tortorella said. “Danny and I, it’s hard to talk straight after a game, we’ll talk about it tomorrow. We’ve had great conversations about what he needs going forward just to see the guys. We will have this conversation. If he needs to see some players before we make a decision, they will go in. But I think we both think it’s going to be pretty close to what we think our lineup is going to be. Maybe one or two places will be different in that regard.”
• Bobby Brink, Tyson Foerster and Wade Allison, all vying for the final spots at the top, had another opportunity to make an impression on the Flyers’ decision-makers.
Brink didn’t score a goal, but he showed his vision and intelligence on the power play. He was one of the Flyers’ best players in camp and the preseason.
“He played a lot tonight,” Tortorella said. “The puck follows him. You can see that he is looking for the next move. I think he has this innate ability that can’t be taught to see the next play. He continues to impress.”
Foerster didn’t score and ended the game with one shot. The Flyers’ power play had good zone time but failed to score in 8:03 minutes of work. The 21-year-old winger was responsible in his two-way game, but the offense just wasn’t quite on track.
“I liked Tyson’s 5-on-5 game,” Tortorella said. “I think he struggles a little bit on the power play.”
After his best performance of the preseason on Saturday, Allison continued to play the final six minutes. He had five hits and one blocked shot. He definitely played his game.
• Tortorella thought defensive prospect Egor Zamula “played really well” on Friday night in Boston. It was the 23-year-old’s first preseason game.
In Zamula’s second game, also against the Bruins, he didn’t have the puck on his stick as much and was fine in the defensive zone. However, he has not diminished his chances in the squad.
With Attard, Tortorella felt his game Saturday night against the Devils was “a little difficult.”
The 24-year-old defender appeared more confident on Monday evening. He was a plus-2 and blocked four shots. Good answer from him.
“I find [he was] “He became more confident, I think he wanted to try to make plays,” Tortorella said. “He gets an assist. “I’m so focused on the strikers and what’s going on there, I have to watch the tape. But I noticed Ronnie more tonight.
“I still made some mistakes, but I think he was trying to make plays. I think this is very important. We don’t just want him.” [playing the puck] Outside the glass we want to try to make more plays. When you talk about Bobby and all that, we have to create more and have the puck more by making more plays.”
• Samuel Ersson helped his cause in the substitute goalkeeping competition. He wasn’t particularly tested, but he played the entire game and made 13 saves.
Ersson is fighting for second place with Cal Petersen and Felix Sandstrom.
In three appearances, Ersson has stopped 33 of 37 shots. Two of the four goals he allowed went to David Pastrnak.
Ersson will only turn 24 later this month and is still exempt. He would be the guy in Lehigh Valley if the Flyers let him open the season in the AHL. Either way, the Flyers believe he’s a part of the future.
“It’s really out of my control. I know that I can only concentrate on the games and try to perform,” said Ersson. “I did this. I’ve been pretty happy with my performance so far.”
“I know I have to keep proving myself, that’s my goal and I’ll keep working.”
After a shaky start to the season, Petersen recovered significantly three days ago at TD Garden.
As the Kings look to free up space in the big leagues this offseason, Petersen moved to the Flyers as part of the Ivan Provorov three-man team. He turns 29 this month and would have to clear waivers if he were sent to the Phantoms. His $5 million annual cap hit over the next two seasons could deter clubs from claiming him.
Boston’s backup Jeremy Swayman stopped 21 of the Flyers’ 24 shots.
• Atkinson tied the game early in the second period when he fired a backhand shot into the goal.
“I feel good, I feel like I’m moving into more difficult areas and feeling good about rebounding shots, making plays and holding onto the puck,” Atkinson said. “I’m just going to continue to feel better and more confident.”
Even though it was a preseason goal, it had to feel good. Atkinson missed all of last season with a neck injury. The 34-year-old winger played his second friendly match. He hopes to play a third with the finale.
“Once you get through the first game, I think the timing gets a little better in the second game, and then the third time you kind of get ready for the start of the regular season,” Atkinson said Saturday.
Couturier’s assist was his first point in three preseason games. He was looking better and better.
“I thought it was probably the best thing he’s seen for me since camp,” Tortorella said. “He made some good plays. Just what he brings, just those little plays that people don’t think about, he’s so solid in that way.”
• Cam York saw his first game action since the preseason opener a week ago. The 22-year-old defender had missed some training sessions due to an undisclosed injury.
The Flyers are looking at York and Rasmus Ristolainen as a potential opening night pairing.
“The shorter time we can spend in the D-zone is of course much better and more ideal. So I think our game plan is just to defend quickly, get out there as quickly as possible and start playing offense,” York said Monday morning. “On offense I feel like I’m really good and can develop.”
• The Flyers trimmed their roster by nine players Monday afternoon. More on the cuts and final position battles here.
• After an off day on Tuesday, the Flyers practice on Wednesday (11 a.m. ET) and host the Islanders to conclude the preseason on Thursday (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).
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