ELMONT, N.Y. – Opening games of the preseason schedule are all about checking out a number of prospects so that’s what the Flyers seemed mostly concerned with in Sunday’s game at the New York Islanders.
There were a few standout performances for the Philly newcomers.
First-round draft pick Jack Nesbitt held his own as a center in his first action in an NHL uniform. Nikita Gredenkin fitted in nicely on a line with veteran center Trevor Zegras and second-year player Matvei Michkov.
Plus you had some steady play from newcomers such as Denver Barkey and Alexis Gendron.
Ultimately, the Flyers came away with a 3-2 shootout win, albeit 12 rounds, at UBS Arena.
The Isles took a 2-1 lead into the third period but Michkov tied it with just over a minute to go and the Philadelphia net empty.
New York evened the score at 1-1 of the second. Kyle Palmieri made a nice putback at 4:01. Then Marshall Warren connected off a two-on-one rush to give the Islanders a 2-1 lead after two periods.
Rodrigo Abols’ goal at 2:42 of the first period gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead. Abols scored off the rush. The Flyers held the upper hand in the first period, allowing starting goaltender Aleksei Kolosov to face only five shots.
The Flyers opened the game with the line of Zegras centering Michkov and Grebenkin. This is a unit that’s been talked about for possibly playing together when the regular season opens.
Abols played on a line centered by Nesbitt and the veteran was impressed with how the kid played.
“You can see that he’s a smart player,” Abols said. “As a winger, it’s easy to play because he’s in the right spots, and I think that helps because he can cover for each other.”
Coach Rick Tocchet also liked what he saw of Nesbitt. Good puck awareness, lots of energy and enthusiam.
“He’s a hockey player,” Tocchet said. “It’s the little things, like telling people where to go on the draw. He’s not afraid to make a play. I’m excited for the future for him.”
If Nesbitt is feeling any nerves, they weren’t showing on Sunday night, although he did fumble one breakout.
“In the OHL (Ontario Hockey League), I always come prepared,” Nesbitt said. “Have that energy on the bench. Knowing what I do when I get the puck. Having good hockey IQ on the ice. I just brought the same stuff here, play my game and do the best I can.”
Nesbitt might need one more season before he breaks into the NHL but you never know.
“These guys are a lot stronger, faster,” he said of NHL competition. “I think getting those two games in rookie camp were definitely helpful. That got me a little bit more comfortable. So coming out here, I knew what to expect.”
>Sanheim eyes big year
Defenseman Travis Sanheim has seen steady improvement in his game the past few years. This year he hopes to help the Flyers make it back to the playoffs and also chip in for Canada’s Olympic effort in Italy this upcoming February.
In the team’s first scrimmage on Saturday, Sanheim went after rookie forward Alex Bump and kind of put the kid in his place with some clean, solid contact.
“Usually power play, penalty kill usually brings that out,” Sanheim said with a smile. “We’re both competitive. We want to do the best, be the best. Put us in an element like that, it doesn’t take long to get fired up at each other.”
Sanheim hasn’t seen that much of coach Rick Tocchet’s defense scheme but he already gets the impression it’s going to different than that of the previous regime.
“I think we’re going to be more of a pressure team,” Sanheim said. “Try to kill plays early and that’s going to include the forwards. Guys playing a little bit more out of position than they’re used to. They’re not going to just stay high, they’re going to have to come across and pressure down low.
“But we’re still playing zone. There are some similarities; it’s not completely different but there will be some changes for sure.”
>Short shots:
The Flyers have Sunday off and resume training camp on Monday. . .Center Lane Pederson was shaken up in a mid-ice collision in the first period, left the ice with an upper-body injury and did not return to action. . .Philadelphia resumes preseason action on Tuesday when they visit the Canadiens in Montreal on Tuesday. . .Carson Bjarnason played in goal for the Flyers for the third period. . .Tempers flared in the third period after the Islanders’ Kashawn Aitcheson got clipped by Flyers defenseman Noah Juulson. Aitcheson had to be helped off the ice. No penalty was called on the initial hit.
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