By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 
Wednesday night was quite a start for the Philadelphia Flyers, as they claimed a big 5-3 win over the San Jose Sharks to open the 2017-18 season.
Veteran presences and special teams play really dictated the outcome of the game for the Flyers, which is a good sign as the young players in the lineup start to get acclimated to NHL pace.
Here are 10 Postgame Points from Flyers-Sharks.
- What more can you say about Wayne Simmonds start? No Flyer in the 51-year history of the franchise has scored a hat trick in the season opener. It wasn't just Simmonds' goal scoring that led the way. His positioning is everything on the power play, and on both goals, it was all about getting to the front of the net and being in position to make a play. Both of his goals on the man advantage came at crucial times, when the Flyers were getting limited opportunities to capitalize on the power play. It was also not surprising to see Simmonds out there in the final minute of the game, trying to protect the one-goal lead before finishing off the game with his third goal into an empty net. Simmonds scored 32 goals two seasons ago and 31 last season. He's off to a great start on his bid for a third straight 30-goal season.
- There were no points for Nolan Patrick in his debut, but the 19-year-old rookie let his maturity show in his first game. Patrick played 13:30 in his NHL debut and had three shots on goal. The chances were there for the rookie, and he should be able to get on the scoresheet soon enough. What was more impressive was his composure. He looks poised around the puck, attacked the net well, but remained responsible when the play came into his own zone. He also drew a couple penalties, including the one that led to Simmonds' game-winning goal in the third.
- After a bit of a shaky start for Brian Elliott, the veteran netminder settled in nicely in his first game as a Flyer. There were certainly some dicey moments playing the puck and some shots that appeared to catch him out of position, but as the game progressed, Elliott became steady and made some key stops in the final period.
- We've said the Flyers second power play unit was going to be improved and they really wasted no time showing that they their potential. Just seconds after the unit hopped on the ice for the first time, Jordan Weal and Travis Konecny used their speed to enter the zone with a burst and Weal's quick shot surprised Martin Jones for a goal.
- Still, don't disregard the first power play. It's only one game, but the Flyers struck on their first three power plays in the game, and needed less than 10 seconds on the last two to score goals. Even on the final two power plays of the game where the Flyers didn't score, there was good zone time and chances. What was really amazing is how Valtteri Filppula, the new member of the unit, didn't even factor in. Claude Giroux was on the face-offs, Shayne Gostisbehere and Jake Voracek took care of the set-up and Simmonds did the rest.
- Speaking of speed, the Flyers were able to roll four lines consistently and put a player with good wheels on the ice essentially at all times. With Giroux on the wing, he was able to stay out of board battles and go to open space, which contributed to the first goal of the game with Giroux being the beneficiary of a turnover. Weal's speed commands the second line, Konecny brings it on the third line.
- Then there is the fourth line, which is very much improved as a whole. Scott Laughton and Taylor Leier compliment each other well, and the line was in the middle of a few scoring chances. Early in the game, this line had the best shifts for the Flyers.
- How did Ivan Provorov open his second season in the NHL? Just your average night playing over 25 minutes, blocking five shots and being as steady as ever in his own zone. The kid is excellent at reading the play and a defensive leader at 20.
- For as strong as the Flyers played throughout the game, it didn't come without blemishes. The rookie mistakes are going to happen, so we're not going to put those under a microscope. But one all three Sharks goals, there was something wrong with the Flyers approach to the play. The Sharks first goal was a mismatch, the fourth line on the ice against the Sharks top line, with no defensemen protecting the front of the net. The second goal was a horrendous turnover by Dale Weise, who was one of the few Flyers to have a noticeably bad game. The third goal went off of Andrew MacDonald's skate and his positioning is the problem here. It's not like he was in the midst of a positioning battle with the Sharks net-front presence. He was alone and untouched and too close to the goal for something seemingly harmless to go in like that.
- The Flyers were also very undisciplined in the first game of the season. The Sharks were able to control most of the second period with three power plays in the period. They also got another early in the third that they scored on to tie the game. Three of the Flyers six penalties — MacDonald's cross-checking penalty, Konecny's hooking penalty and Radko Gudas' late boarding penalty — were unnecessary, and those are the type of infractions that they need to cut down on this season.
