Flyers Shut Out Bruins 2–0 as Young Core Continues to Make Its Mark
The Philadelphia Flyers gave their fans plenty to feel good about Thursday night, delivering a complete 2–0 preseason victory over the Boston Bruins.
After falling 5–1 to Boston in their previous preseason meeting, the Flyers responded with a strong defensive performance, timely scoring and a perfect night between the pipes from Joseph Woll, who stopped all 28 shots he faced.
It was the kind of preseason performance that showed Philadelphia can learn from an earlier result and come back with a much stronger effort.
Michkov Gets the Flyers on the Board
Matvei Michkov made his preseason debut for Philadelphia and wasted little time making an impact.
Michkov opened the scoring for the Flyers, with assists from Porter Martone and Helge Grans. The goal gave Flyers fans an early glimpse of the offensive chemistry that could develop as the preseason continues.
For Michkov, simply getting into game action was noteworthy. For Martone, contributing on the scoresheet alongside him was another encouraging moment for one of the organization's highly anticipated young players.
Knuble Continues His Strong Preseason
Cole Knuble continued to make his case for attention with his second goal in three preseason games.
Knuble's third-period goal was set up by Jacob Gaucher and Jett Luchanko, giving Philadelphia some insurance before the final horn.
Luchanko's assist was particularly notable because it extended his impressive preseason point streak. The young forward has now recorded at least one point in each of Philadelphia's first three preseason games.
That's the type of consistency that gets noticed.
Woll Perfect in Goal
While the Flyers' young players provided the offense, Joseph Woll took care of everything behind them.
Woll stopped all 28 shots Boston sent his way for a perfect shutout.
The Bruins had opportunities throughout the night, but Philadelphia's goaltending and defensive structure held firm. A 2–0 preseason victory doesn't tell the entire story, but a 28-save shutout certainly stands out.
For a team looking to build momentum heading into the regular season, performances like this can be valuable.
A Different Flyers Team Against Boston
The Flyers entered Thursday's game looking for a much better showing after Boston defeated them 5–1 earlier in the preseason.
They got exactly that.
Philadelphia didn't simply score enough goals to win. The Flyers kept Boston off the board entirely, received contributions from several young players and maintained their lead through the final minutes.
It was a composed performance.
And perhaps most importantly, it was another opportunity for Philadelphia's younger players to gain valuable preseason experience.
Plenty to Like as Preseason Moves Along
Through three preseason games, Luchanko's point streak is certainly something to keep an eye on. Knuble has already scored twice, while Michkov opened his preseason account in impressive fashion.
Add in Martone's assist and the continued development of players throughout the lineup, and there are plenty of positive signs for Philadelphia.
The Flyers still have work to do before the games count, but that's exactly what the preseason is for.
Thursday night's 2–0 victory provided another building block.
Michkov scored. Knuble scored. Luchanko kept producing. Martone added an assist. Woll was perfect.
That's a pretty good night in Philadelphia.
And with three regular-season meetings against Boston still to come, the Flyers just showed that this rivalry may look very different once the games start counting.
Jesse Bell / Olde City Sports Network
Photos Credit / Matt Perretta / Olde City Sports Network