Photo Credits: FNG’s Rob Windfelder
The Flyers hosted the Boston Bruins for their 2026 pre-season opener. This was the Flyers third and best game so far. The line-up made all the difference with the Flyers suiting up many players expected to take the ice on opening night.
The Difference
The biggest difference between the first two games of the pre-season and this one was the fact that the Flyers played all 60 minutes of this game. They did not break down was the game wore on. During the first two outings the Flyers squad ran out of gas and let the games get away from them in the final period. Also the Bruins did not suit up their best, but just the same the Flyers looked like a completely different team.
The Flyers were doing a fine job breaking into the zone and keeping possession of the puck. The passing all around was vastly improved. Crisp, creative, smart puck movement in the Boston end was creating solid chances all night long. It was fun to watch. It makes you a bit impatient to get this last pre-season match out of the way so we can see what the 2026-27 Flyers will actually have to offer.
Shutout
Recent acquisition Joseph Woll played all three periods and skated away with the 2-0 shutout. His positioning was on point, he handled the puck well, and made some key saves. He made a roll-over glove save on his back with 43 seconds left to preserve the blanking. Rasmus Ristolainen kept the porch swept in the final moments not letting anyone get comfortable around his goaltender.
Standouts
Noel Acciari had a solid game, getting pucks on net, and landing some big hits. Simon Benoit dropped the gloves with Brian Halonen. It was a bit of a clumsy scrap but Benoit ended up on top much to the delight of the Philadelphia crowd.
Cole Knuble scored the 2nd Flyers goal. Jett Luchanko was moving the puck well through the Boston zone. He left the puck on the doorstep for Jacob Gaucher who took a whack at it. Knuble scooped up the rebound and sent it home. Knuble has been having a solid camp and that line got stronger as the game progressed.
Michkov Shines
The number one star of the game was Matvei Michkov. His playmaking in this match was something to watch. He was making room for his intended pass receivers before delivering the puck. It was all about his positioning. His ability to pull defenders to himself before dropping the pass into the space he had just created.
Michkov scored what turned out to be the game winning goal just 4:02 into the contest. It was a backhander from the side of the net. The assists went to Porter Martone and Helge Grans. The reinvented Matvei Michkov was a standout all night long in his much anticipated home ice debut.
The best player on the ice for the Boston Bruins was goaltender Michael Dipietro. He actually played a fantastic game for the losing team. He gave up two goals but he was tested more than Woll. The shots on goal were tied at 28 apiece, but it was the quality of the Flyers chances that made his performance stand out. The Flyers also caught iron at least three times but they’re just shots-wide unless the bounce goes the right way.
All and all it was a solid showing for the Flyers. Based on the pre-season line-ups in this match the Flyers should have been the dominant team, and they were.
Next Up: Flyers host the Capitals on Saturday evening at 5:00 PM
About Author
