Flyers lose the game and a key forward.
To start off, things were looking good for the Philadelphia Flyers in their preseason opener against the Washington Capitals, but they quickly ran out of steam and fell flat on their faces. It was all downhill from there in a thoroughly unimpressive 5-2 loss.
Veteran newcomer Jack Studnicka got the Flyers off to about as good a start as they could have asked for, cashing in from close range on the power play just 2:35 into the contest to put Philadelphia up 1-0. Rookies Jett Luchanko and Cole Knuble, who have been impressive as of late, collected the assists.
Aliaksei Protas answered for Washington on a 5-on-3 power play after the Flyers got themselves in penalty trouble, and big-money youngster Ryan Leonard gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead on a laser through traffic to end the period.
David Jiricek had some trouble boxing out the much bigger and stronger Protas in front of Joseph Woll on the goal, but Flyers forward Riley Thompson also had a bad angle and allowed Leonard to walk around in the slot to pick his shot to begin with.
Early in the second period, Knuble pulled the Flyers even by cleaning up a long-range Oliver Bonk shot, but the Flyers just never truly built or maintained any momentum after that.
Bonk got caught on a bad pinch that sent Dylan Strome in alone on Woll for a score, and Jonny Brodzinski buried the Capitals' final two goals of the night past Carson Bjarnason, who relieved Woll for the final 20 minutes.
Overall, it was just a bad night for the Flyers, and one that certainly resembled a group that has been going hard and competing throughout training camp.
Flyers notes and an injury
Denver Barkey was injured in Monday's game against Washington and did not return. (Photo: James Guillory, Imagn Images)The Flyers had a chance to seize momentum after Capitals forward Andrew Cristall was given a five-minute major penalty for cross checking and a game misconduct for bopping Hunter McDonald in the mouth after a hard hit on Leonard, but the Flyers failed to score.
Forward Denver Barkey, who opened the game as the Flyers' top center, left the game early in the second period and did not return, and players like Alex Bump and Porter Martone were total nonfactors.
Offensively, Knuble, Luchanko, Jiricek, Bonk, and Studnicka were the only players who made things happen more than a handful of times. Luchanko and Studnicka were each particularly impressive with their assertiveness at both ends of the ice.
Both Bonk and Jiricek had their shaky moments defensively, but it is paramount we keep in mind that these are 21- and 22-year-old defensemen who need time and trust as they continue to develop.
Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet did not have an update on Barkey after the game, and the Flyers will be right back to it on Tuesday night when they face the Boston Bruins at TD Garden at 7 p.m.
Expect that game roster to consist primarily of players who did not play in Monday night's game against the Capitals.
