Simmonds, Mason power Flyers to preseason victory

(Photo courtesy of Kate Frese/ Kate Frese Photography)

Wayne Simmonds netted a pair of power play goals. Dale Weise and Andy Miele also tallied. Steve Mason made 23 saves en route to a 4-0 shutout over the New York Islanders Tuesday night at the Wells Fargo Center.

It was a pretty even start to the game. Both teams moved the puck up and down the ice but niether could generate any quality scoring chances.  

The Islanders got the first chance with the man advantage at 3:59 when Wayne Simmonds was called for elbowing. New York was unable to capitalize with the extra attacker and the game remained tied at 0-0.

The Islanders would get a second chance with the man advantage at 15:40 when Andrew MacDonald was called for cross checking. With 45 seconds left on the power play Joshua Ho-Sang was whistled for goalie interference.

With the teams skating four on four, Dale Weise introduced himself to the Flyers fans with his first goal of the preseason. The goal was unassisted.

With the Flyers on an abbreviated power play, they extended their lead to 2-0. Wayne Simmonds found the back of the net for first of the season at 18:55. Jordan Weal and Michael Del Zotto picked up the assists.

The Flyers outshot the Islanders 8-6 in the period and took a 2-0 lead to the locker room after 20 minutes.

The Islanders came out stronger to start the second period.  Once again the Flyers took the first penalty of the period when Scott Laughton was called for hooking. The penalty killers did the job yet again to keep the Flyers up 2-0.

Andy Miele made it 3-0 at 11:22 of the second. Meile knocked in the rebound off a Michael Raffl shot. Travis Sanheim picked up the other assist.

Mason made several big saves in the minutes that followed the goal. In all the Flyers netminder stopped all 11 shots he faced  in the second and Philadelphia held a 3-0 advantage after 40 minutes.

Simmonds scored his second of the night just seconds into the third period. Sanheim picked up his second assist on the goal along with Brayden Schenn.

The teams exchanged chances the rest of the way but neither team could get one home.

The Flyers were able to kill off over two minutes of five on three penalty time late in the period to preserve the shutout.

 The Flyers are back in action again tomorrow night when the host the New Jersey Devils in Allentown.