Photo Credits: FNG’s Rob Windfelder
Thursday night the Flyers hosted their first home game of the preseason. This was a chance for fans to get a look at Matvei Michkov and Jett Luchanko as they took to the ice at the Wells Fargo Center for the first time. Both of these players have been a popular topic of hockey conversation since before camp even began.
Michkov (2023 1st round 7th overall) seems on track to make the team out of camp. Luchanko was drafted by the Flyers in the 2024 1st round, 13th overall, and just recently turning 18. Up until a few weeks ago it was considered that his chances of making the team out of camp at such a young age were slim at best. His performance at training camp has been turning heads and many are starting to wonder if he may have an outside shot at opening night.
Philly vs New York
As this game started to unfold it seemed that the Flyers may be laying back to feel the Islanders out. There was not much of an attack game going on. The Flyers were playing a very cautious conservative style. As time went on it became apparent that this was not a waiting-out period, this was the approach they were going with.
Flyers netminder Samuel Ersson, making his first start of the preseason, was tested early and was rock solid. As the 1st period wore on the Flyers were looking overly cautious but somehow still making a ton of mistakes. Some of the turnovers were really surprising. Some of the younger players looked really tentative.
The first big round of cuts has already taken place so you would expect the competition for roster spots to be heating up. You might expect to see some passion and hunger for the puck. Every team is going through the same process so the squads will keep getting more populated with veteran players as the preseason proceeds. Keeping that in mind both teams tonight came out kind of flat.
Maybe jitters were taking their toll? There was an overall lack of confidence from guys you may have hoped to see stepping up at this point. Sure, it was a preseason game but it really, really looked like one.
Line Combos
The Flyers had Luchanko centering a line with Travis Konecny on one side and Tyson Foerster on the other. With the way these guys skate you could have PATCO sponsor this combination and call it The High Speed Line. Luchanko was being trusted with a ton of responsibility.
At one point the young center and Konecny were the two forwards in a shorthanded situation. Adam Ginning and Emil Andrae were on D. They did a good job of keeping the puck locked up against the boards for a considerable amount of time. But the Islanders also did a good job of keeping the puck inside the offensive zone preventing a Flyers line change. The tired group ended up killing 1:57 of a two minute penalty.
Michkov was playing on a line with Morgan Frost and Owen Tippett. Michkov had a few nice chances but nothing was going in on either side of the ice. After two periods the Islanders were outshooting the Flyers 25-20 but the score was tied at zero.
Tie Breaker
Finally 4:36 into the 3rd the Flyers scored the first goal of the game. The play started off with Michkov moving down the right wing boards and hitting Cam York in the slot with a beautiful pass through traffic. York fired a shot that seemed to hit absolutely everything before ending up on the stick of Erik Johnson who sent it home.
Konecny came dangerously close moments later. Both teams looked like they had suddenly became very interested in scoring goals. Something that kept happening over and over again was the Islanders being allowed to walk right into the slot with the puck. They were winning foot races around the defense until they worked their way right up to the doorstep. Ersson was sharp an confident all night and kept the game together for his team.
As time was running down the Islanders pulled their goalie to make a final surge. Michkov got possession of the puck in the neutral zone and shot at the open net from just outside the blue line. His shot hit the post and dinged off into the corner. He managed to steal the puck right back in front of the New York net and put it, and the game away.
Matvei Michkov did make the difference in his first game as a Flyer on home ice. He was a big part of the only two goals of the game. But there may have been a very different outcome without the stellar goaltending of Samuel Ersson who stopped all 36 shots that he faced.
Next up: The Boston Bruins come to town Saturday night at 7:00 PM.
