Postgame Points: Flyers-Rangers

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

The second half of the preseason opened in New York with the Flyers final road game of the preseason. While it was a strong showing by the Orange and Black, who largely outplayed the Rangers for most of the game, they were still on the wrong end of a 3-2 decision in overtime.

Despite that, it continued to be a strong showcase for the youth on the team as the final roster decision draws slightly closer.

Here are 10 Postgame Points from Flyers-Rangers, Part 1.

1. You might want to start making room for Travis Sanheim on the Flyers roster. Yes, there are three games still left for that decision to truly be made. But Sanheim has done everything the right way.

   Look, the Rookie Game wasn't a good one for Sanheim. Neither was the preseason opener. Since then, it's been a steady progression of improved performances that have forced the Flyers to consider him for the roster. Monday's game was his best so far, not just for the two goals scored, but for the overall consistency he showed in all zones and the confidence he's playing with at the moment.

2. It was obviously a feeling out process with the new-look top line with Claude Giroux on the wing, but Giroux looked fine in his first game on the wing. There were a couple shifts defensively where things got dicey, but ultimately it was a good first look at the Giroux left wing experiment.
3. One thing Giroux needs to do more, no matter where he lines up on the ice, is start shooting more when it's there. The Flyers had a 2-on-0 chance with Giroux and Jake Voracek. Voracek set up Giroux perfectly and the Flyers captain passed it back when he really should have shot. Giroux's always had a pass-first mentality, but you have to bury chances like that.
4. It was not a good game for Voracek overall, the 2-on-0 miscue aside. Voracek just hasn't looked in control at all. He's struggling with the puck and his defensive ability is non-existent. He's in need of vast improvement before the season begins to reassure his place on the first line is justified.
5. Sanheim may have been stealing the show offensively, but don't overlook another very solid game from Robert Hagg. In most of the games this season, Hagg hasn't been noticeable, but for a defenseman, that's a good thing and usually means the defenseman performed well. Hagg was unfortunately in the wrong place at the wrong time on Mika Zibanejad's game-tying goal, which hit off him and went in after Michal Neuvirth made the save on the initial shot.
6. If Sanheim were to indeed make the team and join Hagg and Sam Morin, it seems like it would be between Brandon Manning and Andrew MacDonald for the seventh defenseman spot on the roster. Right now, the edge would probably go to MacDonald. Manning has been adjusting to game play after having back surgery in the offseason and just hasn't looked like himself in the preseason.
7. Travis Konecny looks like a completely different player than last year's rookie season. It's obviously only preseason, but so far, Konecny is bringing speed and energy to every shift and making confident plays on the puck.
8. Obviously every preseason game is going to be Nolan Patrick watch. Patrick played a solid game. He took two penalties, though one wasn't really on him, and looked stronger around the puck as the game progressed. He also made a nice saucer pass to Sanheim on his first goal of the night, giving the 19-year-old his second assist of the preseason. His two-way game continues to be his calling card right now. That's the area where he's been at his best, and it's helping him stick around in camp as the final games hit.
9. Part of Patrick's game is being on the second power-play unit, a group that looks so much better so far this preseason than it did over the course of the last few seasons. Sean Couturier is the veteran of the group, but with Patrick, Konecny, Ivan Provorov and Jordan Weal all getting time on that unit, the puck movement has been much better and the Flyers are actually getting set up and creating chances. The second unit easily out-performed the top unit in this game.
10. Neuvirth played the duration of the game in goal and looked solid, allowing three goals on 31 shots, but more importantly stopping some difficult shots that can test a netminder. At the other end of the ice, the Flyers were the better team, generating 39 shots. Of course, Henrik Lundqvist handed the Flyers a familiar result with a stellar performance of his own that resembled postseason Hank.