Dave Hakstol got off on the right foot with his new job Monday night. Jakub Voracek had a goal and two assists, and five different Flyers scored as Philadelphia downed the New York Islanders, 5-3, on Monday night at PPL Center.
The first period started with the Islanders on their heels, as Philadelphia controlled the pace Early. With New York's Ben Holmstrom in the box for hooking, Voracek put a shot on net from the near side boards. Michael Raffl was screening Islanders' goaltender Thomas Greiss and deflected the puck into the net. Michael Del Zotto also notched an assist on the play.
However, the lead was short lived. James Wright put a shot over the shoulder of Michal Neuvirth just 2:24 later. The goal was unassisted, and the period finished tied at one.
2015 first-round pick Travis Konecny gave the Flyers the lead back early in the middle frame. After Jay Rosehill and Cole Bardreau forced a turnover in the slot, Konecny snuck in and beat Greiss from in tight. Again though, the lead was not held for long. With Voracek off for elbowing, Alan Quine had a shot from the top of the zone deflect off someone in front and beat Neuvirth. The Flyers retook the lead 2:56 later on the power play when Vincent Lecavlier cleaned up a rebound of a R.J. Umberger shot at the side of the net. Evgeni Medvedev picked up a secondary assist for his first unofficial NHL Point.
In the third, both teams played played punch/counter punch once more. Justin Vaive got one past Neuvirth at 2:18, and Del Zotto gave Philadelphia a league they would not relinquish just 1:05 later on a net mouth scramble from a Claude Giroux shot. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare added an empty netter with eight seconds left to seal the scoring.
Notes: Neuvirth went the distance for Philadelphia, while Christopher Gibson replaced Greiss to start the 3rd period.
Quotes:
- Voracek drew laughter when asked if he thought Konecny reminded him of himself at 18: "He has a ways to go before that happens."
- Voracek again, on the differences between the differences in Hakstol's new system and that of Craig Berube: "I think it's just, we have a lot more neutral zone movement. You gotta get used to it. We have a lot of professionals, they had a lot of different systems. It's nothing new for all of us, we just have to make sure we work hard in Practice and every game. It's a little bit different, but when we do it right, we're gonna be a good team. "
- Hakstol on Konecny: "He made something happen every time he was on the ice. Lot of hockey sese, and he plays with a lot of jam."
- On this game being special: "I guess everything is a new experience the first time. There was a minute, or a second during the National Anthem that a couple thoughts passed through your mind. I was excited to be out there, but when the puck drops, it's all business."
Brent Baldwin is Lehigh Valley Phantoms beat writer for Flyerdelphia. Follow him on Twitter @BBFlyerdelphia.
