Michkov had two assists and Luchanko also had two helpers, plus he saw action against a number of NHL regulars in the Flyers’ 6-2 win at Capital One Arena.
Bobby Brink and Morgan Frost led the Flyers’ offense, each with a pair of goals. Joel Farabee finished with a goal and three assists.
“I think the guys look good,” Farabee said at the second intermission. “You know, there are going to be mistakes for the first preseason game. But I think we’re making mistakes trying to be aggressive, so it’s really all you can ask for in games like this.”
Goals by Brink and Frost gave the Flyers a 2-1 lead through one period.
Brink kicked off the scoring at the four-minute mark, converting assists from Luchanko and Farabee. Brink executed a nifty backhand move and flipped a shot past goaltender Hunter Shepard.
Frost made it 2-0 at 16:44. Michkov played a role in this one as Frost snuck out from behind the Capitals’ net and backhanded the puck into the net.
Meanwhile, Flyers starting goaltender Ivan Fedotov looked sharp and didn’t allow a score until Andrew Cristall banked a shot off defenseman Nick Seeler and into the Philadelphia net at 17:20.
Farabee scored in the second period on a power play at 10:22 to make it 3-1 but the Caps responded with a goal of their own via Ivan Miroshnichenko to close the margin to 3-2.
Rookie goaltender Carson Bjarnason took over for Fedotov in the third period.
In the third period, Brink’s second goal at 5:37 extended the Flyers’ lead. Then Lycksell (6:51) and Frost (on a power play at 12:00) connected to account for the final margin.
Coach Ian Laperriere liked what he saw, especially the performances of Michkov and Luchanko.
Michkov said he did have to work on some things but that’s what the preseason is for.
Through an interpreter Michkov spoke about possible adjustments.
“I feel really good, my first NHL game,” he began. “There are still a lot of things to work on. There are still some things I need to freshen up, like the penalty shots.’
Michkov is a quick learner, so look for him to fix whatever is lacking.
“He’s 19 years old,” Laperriere said. “I think he’s a little tired from the skating tests (back at training camp in Voorhees, N.J.). All the skating they’ve been doing for the past three days. But he makes plays under pressure. Not too many players can make the plays he was making on the power play, with the poise.
“Luchanko is the same way, he just turned 18 a month ago. That’s a kid whose skating is not hurting him at all. He’s so fast out there. I said that yesterday, the future is bright. You see two kids like that, with that much skill and that much poise, I can’t wait to see when the level of play goes up and how they adjust to that.”
>Shootout held
Before the game, the two teams agreed to hold a shootout at the end of the game regardless of the final score of the game. In the shootout, the Flyers got goals from Brink and Owen Tippett for a 2-0 win.
>Productive alignment
The Frost line features a righthand shot, Owen Tippett, playing left wing and a lefthand shot, Michkov, playing on the right.
Laperriere, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms bench boss, said that sort of arrangement has its advantages.
I think for a skill player, when you get into the offensive zone, you have more options,” the coach said. “You’re already opened up. The game is a lot faster and it gives them a little more time to make plays when they’re opened up already.
“It’s been like that forever. Even in my time, good players, skilled players were put on their off-side for that reason.”
Would Laperriere consider moving Tippett over to his natural shooting side at some point?
“I’m not going to move Owen. . .that’s above my pay grade,” he chuckled. “I’m putting the players where they tell me to put them.”
>Fedotov looks sharp
Fedotov, who got into a handful of games with the Flyers last year, looks more comfortable so far as he gets to go through a training camp and become more familiar with his North American surroundings.
“I had a very good summer,” he said. “Training camp is very good so far. Everybody feels tired but everybody today played very well. A couple things we did not very good but it was a great job by the whole team.”
>Short shots
The Flyers resume preseason action with a game on Monday night at Montreal. . .Spencer Gill, selected in this year’s NHL Draft, was paired with Adam Ginning. Nice gesture for an 18-year-old. “It’s a nice little cookie,” Laperriere said. “Rarely you see those kids play in the preseason. It’s a pat on the back from the organization.”
