There was one shorthanded instance when Stoll’s stick broke when he retreated to a central point on the ice and began directing traffic and blocking several passing lanes with his limbs. By the looks of their conversation, McDonagh gave him the head-nod that he was OK.
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Of course, the position switch had everything else to do with Couturier’s absence…no?
While Gagner is clearly in the middle because of the Couturier injury, Hakstol said there was another reason to put him there. When it comes down to the regular season, you want to be closing those out. Couturier is expected to be ready to play by opening night of the regular season. Until then, the spot could be Gagner’s to grow into.
Raffl injured: Michael Raffl suffered an upper-body injury in the third period and did not return to action.
So with Raffl’s recovery still to be determined, Gagner might find himself subbing there instead. “I think those 11 games a year ago helped me take that step”.
“It would have been good to get the win but the important thing is to feel good about my game, ” Mason said. I thought we responded very well.
“I thought our line did a better job as the game went on of getting into their end and creating chances”. I think you have to trust your teammates.
“Hard to play against, I think that’s what I’m aiming for”, Kreider said. “That’s why we’re asking him”. He’s given us a couple on right wing now. “I wanted to see what that would look like”, he said.
“Not being drafted, not under the spotlight, I don’t think it’s something I really needed, ” he said. “It’s valuable if you can have that”. The penalty led nearly immediately to a Wayne Simmonds power play goal …
Dan Girardi scored early in the third period to start the comeback. Then defenseman Keith Yandle – who had trudged through a mostly unimpressive preseason previously – forced an OT takeaway off Flyers forward Scott Laughton and drew a penalty shot on his way in.
That left Mason a loser after 41 saves. It was ruled that Stalberg didn’t do enough to stop on the play even though MacDonald of the Flyers shoved Stalberg into the right post and Steve Mason. Fortunately for us it was exhibition. We’re all learning from three-on-three. Dan Boyle had his worst game thus far, including two glaring turnovers straddling a second-period stoppage – one directly to Wayne Simmonds in the slot for a Flyers shot on goal, and another at the blue line to give Philly another chance.
“We had to catch up to their speed”, Mason said. Something we keep pounding on is having good starts and we didn’t do that tonight. But it would still be nice to see something from Gudas before the puck drops next Thursday. The injury itself was described by Ron Hextall as an “upper-body injury”, a suitably vague explanation. He was unavailable after the game….
Questionable hit: Jake Voracek and Rick Nash had a collision of left legs in the third period. It certainly looked like Nash didn’t have to put his skate into Voracek’s on that play.
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It was a tough loss for the Flyers, especially when blowing a lead late, but it’s preseason and everyone needs a loss here or there to be able to learn from their mistakes. He has logged just under 37 minutes of ice time in the games, including 8:24 during the power play. “So I’m not going to cry about it.”… With defensive prospects Shayne Gostisbehere and Robert Hagg, (along with forward Nick Cousins) demoted over the weekend, the Flyers have only the eight defenders on National Hockey League contracts left in camp.
