The Flyers’ preseason opener gave them a little bit of everything Monday night in Hershey: an early jolt, a tie game, a few encouraging showings from young players, and a 5-2 loss to a Capitals team that brought a more NHL-heavy lineup to the Giant Center.
Philadelphia struck first in the opening period on one of the night’s strangest-looking goals, with Jack Stunicka scoring on the power play. Cole Knuble and Jett Luchanko both picked up their first preseason points on the play. Washington answered back before the period ended, getting goals from Aliaksei Portas and Ryan Leonard to flip the game in its favor.
The Flyers briefly pulled even in the second period on Knuble’s first NHL goal. Oliver Bonk sent a shot toward the net, Garrett Wilson got a piece of it, and Knuble cleaned up the rebound from close range.
After that, though, the Capitals took over. They scored three straight, including another goal against Joseph Woll, who handled the first 60 minutes.
Dylan Strome added the final goal against Woll, and Johnny Brodzinski opened the third-period scoring against Carson Bjarnason before later finishing the Capitals’ night with a shorthanded tally.
The final result left the Flyers looking outplayed and worn down in their first preseason game, though the roster gap was part of the story. Either way, Monday offered a first look at where things stand before they meet the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night.
There was one immediate concern beyond the score. Denver Barkey left with a lower-body injury, and while the exact moment of the injury wasn’t clear, it appeared to stem from a Martin Fehervary hit late in the first period.
Barkey was driven into the boards, came down awkwardly, and skated off looking shaken up. He did come out for the opening draw of the second period, but he did not return after that.
On the ice, some of the camp momentum carried over, and some of it didn’t.
David Jiricek was one of the players whose night went the wrong way. He had looked calm and composed during camp, but against Washington he didn’t have the same steady edge. He’s still being treated as a roster lock, but this game was a reminder that the leash may not be endless if the rough patches continue.
Ty Murchison also had a tougher time translating camp form into game action. He had been one of the more noticeable players through rookie and NHL camp, but Monday was less about standing out for the right reasons. It wasn’t a disaster, but the sharp edge he’d shown in camp didn’t show up as clearly against another team.
There were better signs elsewhere. Oliver Bonk looked solid, and Hunter McDonald did too.
Both young defensemen had moments where they were involved at both ends, which is exactly the kind of look you want at this stage. Jett Luchanko and Cole Knuble also kept turning heads, and Knuble in particular continues to make his case for a roster spot.
The Flyers now move quickly into their next test. They have an optional morning skate in Voorhees, New Jersey, for the game group before heading to Boston for a meeting with the Bruins at TD Garden on Tuesday night. Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM ET, and the game will air on NBC Sports Philadelphia+.
Based on Monday’s non-game group, the lineup picture is starting to take shape. The forwards are expected to line up with Tyson Foerster, Noah Cates and Matvei Michkov; Danila Klimovich, Christian Dvorak and Travis Konecny; Jacob Gaucher, Trevor Zegras and Owen Tippett; and Nolan Foote, Sean Couturier and Noel Acciari.
On defense, the projected pairs are Travis Sanheim with Rasmus Ristolainen, Cam York with Jamie Drysdale, and Nick Seeler with Spencer Gill. Dan Vladar and Aleksei Kolosov are the listed goalies.
Nikita Grebenkin skated with the non-game group Monday in a regular contact jersey, but it still feels early for him to return, especially with two games and several practices left. If he does get in, the expectation is that he would slot in for Gaucher.
The lines also suggest Rick Tocchet may be leaning toward the Christian Dvorak-Travis Konecny pairing and the Trevor Zegras-Owen Tippett pairing, with some placeholders still on the wings. The Michkov line will draw plenty of attention too, especially after how much pace and energy he showed in camp. And on defense, Tuesday should offer a close look at a group that is starting to resemble the season setup, with five of the expected six starters set to play.
In Other News...
Flyers Have A Bigger Concern Than Their Ugly Preseason Opener
The preseason is supposed to be about getting a first look at new ideas and fresh faces, but the Flyers opener in Washington quickly shifted from evaluation to damage control. Philadelphia fell 5-2 to the Capitals, an ugly result on its own, yet the more immediate concern came when forward Denver Barkey was hurt early in the second period and did not return.
Rick Tocchet didnt have an update on Barkey after the game, which leaves the Flyers waiting on a situation that matters more than anything that happened on the scoreboard. Preseason losses are easy to shrug off in September, but injuries to young players trying to make impressions can linger far longer than one rough night. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Already Have An Early Depth Concern To Watch
One of the Flyers early preseason storylines took an unwelcome turn when Denver Barkey went down with a lower-body injury against the Capitals on Friday night and did not return. Philadelphia announced the injury during the game, leaving an already young camp roster a little thinner in the kind of spot where depth is supposed to be getting sorted out, not tested.
The sequence came after a hit along the boards from Washington defenseman Martin Fehervary, and now the focus shifts to what Rick Tocchet has to say once the game is over. For a Flyers team trying to evaluate its bottom-six options and keep its prospects moving in the right direction, any injury this early is the sort of development it will want to monitor closely. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Prospect Denver Barkey Suddenly Faces A Worrying Setback
Denver Barkeys preseason night against the Capitals ended early after the young Flyers forward left with a lower-body injury and did not return. For a player trying to keep building momentum while splitting time between Philadelphia and the AHL affiliate, any health issue in September can be the kind of setback that gets attention fast, especially when hes looking to stay in the mix as the season approaches.
The Flyers had to wait until the third period to make clear Barkey would not be back in the game, leaving his status as the main concern from an otherwise routine preseason tune-up. Philadelphia has been counting on Barkey to keep developing with the organization if health allows, so the focus now shifts to how serious this latest issue turns out to be and whether it interrupts his push to stick around. [Read more 🡒]