Flyers rookie Shayne Gostisbehere draws praise from coach
Left winger Chris Porter and speedy defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, two players fighting for roster spots, scored first-period goals in the Flyers' 5-2 preseason win over the New York Islanders on Friday at the sparsely filled Wells Fargo Center.
Left winger Chris Porter and speedy defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, two players fighting for roster spots, scored first-period goals in the Flyers' 5-2 preseason win over the New York Islanders on Friday at the sparsely filled Wells Fargo Center.
Gostisbehere has three goals in his three preseason games.
"Scoring goals is one thing, but I think they're looking at other things - [like] how my defense is maturing, and just playing solid defense," he said.
Flyers coach Dave Hakstol praised Gostisbehere's offensive output, but said his defensive play has had "some good and some bad along the way. I think he'll tell you the same thing. There are things he's learning every day."
Brayden Schenn, who netted his third goal in three games, and Michael Raffl scored 33 seconds apart in the second period, putting the Flyers (3-1) ahead, 4-1.
The Islanders used their "B" team because they also had a game in New Jersey.
Porter, a veteran who signed a free-agent deal in the off-season, re-directed a slick pass from defenseman Evgeny Medvedev (two assists) to tie the game at 1-1 midway through the first session.
Later in the period, Gostisbehere, a rookie who missed most of last season because of knee surgery, scored on a one-timer, blasting a power-play shot past Christopher Gibson to put the Flyers ahead, 2-1.
The Flyers have eight defensemen on one-way contracts, but Gostisbehere is making general manager Ron Hextall consider keeping him on the roster. He has three goals in his three preseason games.
Gostisbehere, 22, played just seven combined AHL-NHL games last season, and Hextall and Hakstol may decide he needs more AHL seasoning and needs to improve his work in the defensive end.
Stay tuned.
Breakaways
The Flyers have 29 players left in camp and want to get down to 23 before their last preseason game Oct. 2 in New Jersey. . . . Radko Gudas had a game-high five hits. . . . Michal Neuvirth made 23 saves and notched the win. . . . Surprisingly, Scott Laughton was a healthy scratch. . . .Schenn, Porter, and Nick Cousins were each plus-2.. . . On the power play, the Flyers were 2 for 5, and the Isles were 1 for 7.. . . The Flyers will practice in Voorhees Saturday at 11 a.m.
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