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Flyers/Bruins Recap: Raffl scores twice in 4-1 victory

By Benjamin Gabrych

PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 20: Philadelphia Flyers left wing Michael Raffl (12) forechecks during the first period. The Philadelphia Flyers avoided elimination with a 4-2 win in Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 20, 2018, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. The Penguins lead the series 3-2. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 20: Philadelphia Flyers left wing Michael Raffl (12) forechecks during the first period. The Philadelphia Flyers avoided elimination with a 4-2 win in Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 20, 2018, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. The Penguins lead the series 3-2. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The Philadelphia Flyers came into their last game of the preseason looking to finish with a .500 record.

After the Philadelphia Flyers announced Saturday that forward Corban Knight would be out 3 weeks with a lower body injury, they recalled defenseman Philippe Myers and put him in the lineup for the final preseason game. Sean Couturier and Wayne Simmonds also returned to the Flyers lineup.

They ended their 2018 preseason campaign on the road against the Boston Bruins seeking their fourth win, and started the game off great. The Flyers took an early 1-0 lead in the 1st on a goal from Taylor Leier. Leier is definitely a player on the roster bubble fighting for a spot, so it was nice to see him put the puck in the net. Mikhail Vorobyev and Wayne Simmonds assisted on the one-time goal.

Boston started to gain momentum towards the end of the period. Travis Sanheim went off for hooking, but the Flyers penalty kill surprisingly held strong. Wayne Simmonds negated a Flyers power play, and the period ended with four-on-four hockey. Brian Elliott, who started in-net, made six saves in the period.

The 2nd period began with Boston controlling play. After Myers turned the puck over in his own zone, the Flyers were left scrambling a bit and it lead to a Scott Laughton penalty. The Flyers did kill the penalty, though, and also a Myers interference minor. The Bruins power play went zero-for-four through two periods of play. Elliott bailed the Flyers defense out nearly the entire period, as Boston had 15 shots on net.

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The Flyers evened play to start the 3rd period, but took yet another penalty after a Sean Couturier hooking call. This penalty proved to be fatal after Ryan Donato deflected a David Pastrnak shot and scored a power play goal for the Bruins. The Flyers took another penalty but thanks to the tenacious forechecking of Jori Lehtera, Michael Raffl scored on a shorthanded tally giving the Flyers a 2-1 lead. Lehtera had the lone assist on the goal. The Orange and Black kept the pressure on, and it eventually lead to Wayne Simmonds scoring on the rebound to give the Flyers a 3-1 lead later on in the 3rd.

Raffl scored another goal off a pass from Leier late in the 3rd, and the Flyers defeated the Bruins 4-1. Brian Elliott finally looked comfortable in-net, saving 26 of the 27 shots he faced. Boston scored just once on the power play in six attempts, a good omen for the Flyers heading into the regular season.

Next game is the regular season opener against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday. Meaningful hockey is finally back, Flyers fans!

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