Matvei Michkov was the real deal Thursday night as the Flyers beat the Islanders, 2-0, in preseason action.
The top prospect had his strengths on full display in his first game at the Wells Fargo Center.
Erik Johnson scored the game-opening goal 4:36 minutes into the third period. Michkov and Cam York assisted the marker.
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Michkov finished off the Flyers' win with an empty-net goal.
"He's so excited," Owen Tippett said. "Every time we're on the bench, he just wants to go back out there. His excitement's contagious, guys kind of feed off of it. It has been fun to have his energy around."
The Flyers are 2-1-0 in the preseason and have four games left.
Flyers assistant coaches Rocky Thompson, Brad Shaw and Darryl Williams and skills coach Angelo Ricci led the bench. John Tortorella evaluated from the club's management suite alongside president of hockey operations Keith Jones and general manager Danny Briere.
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• Michkov did not disappoint in front of the fans.
He had his best performance through three outings so far (one rookie game, two exhibition games). The 19-year-old winger hunted the puck, when he had it, it was on a string and he consistently created looks for others with great touch.
"I think they have confidence that he can make a play, to tell you the truth," Thompson said. "So I think they're ready for it. I don't think he has surprised them. I think they're doing a good job of reading and going to areas where it's a tough play but they think it can get done."
The vision and playmaking led to Johnson's goal. Michkov found a streaking York, who ripped a shot. Johnson corralled the rebound and put it home from a tough angle.
"He's very confident, you can definitely tell that," Samuel Ersson said of Michkov. "He's not scared to try things and do some unexpected things."
In his three games, the touted Russian has two goals and three assists.
"A high-end, first-round prospect like him, with that much skill, that much potential, it's probably been a while since we've had one," Sean Couturier said Wednesday. "It's fun to see the excitement."
• The Flyers gave Jett Luchanko one heck of a look by having him center Travis Konecny and Tyson Foerster.
The 2024 first-rounder had a strong rookie camp and has opened eyes among the NHLers ever since Tortorella's skating gauntlet.
"Right away on the rope skate, it was impressive," Thompson said after morning skate Thursday. "My gosh, he might be the fastest player on the ice for us right now and his acceleration, his first three steps, are incredible. But he also has really good conditioning, so he floats on the ice. His speed can be deceptive I think for the opposition, it gives him opportunities. But he is very well conditioned for somebody who just turned 18 years old, which is impressive."
Thompson said the Flyers would keep a close eye on if there was a falloff at all in Luchanko's performance. In his second preseason game, Luchanko didn't make a ton of things happen offensively but showed his ability to kill penalties.
"He's a really smart player for his age and his experience," Konecny said. "Obviously like anyone tonight, I'm sure he's going to look back and be bummed about a few different things, which we all are. For him, I just hope he looks at it as like we had a lot of good opportunities tonight and he did his job to probably be noticed again. He's playing well. I like the kid."
• Ersson made his first appearance of the preseason and was real sharp, stopping all 37 shots he faced.
"I thought it was a great confidence-builder for him," Thompson said. "A really important game, in my opinion, just to kind of get a steady footing for himself in the crease."
The soon-to-be 25-year-old is entering his first full season as the Flyers' No. 1 netminder.
"It's nice to get some action early on, a nice game actually to see a lot of pucks," Ersson said. "I feel like that usually helps just getting back in the rhythm and feeling an actual game out there."
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• Bubble defenseman Adam Ginning made a couple of risky decisions that resulted in turnovers.
Along the back boards in the first period, he played the puck to the middle of the ice, which led to a scoring chance for New York. In the second period, he had an attempted clear on the PK go to an Islander.
The 24-year-old Swede wants to play a steady, low-key game. He's in that eighth-ninth defenseman range, competing to be one of the Flyers' extras or the first call-up when opportunity opens.
• Prior to the game, the Flyers honored the memory of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau with a video tribute and 13-second moment of silence. The brothers were killed by a drunk driver on Aug. 29 in Salem County, New Jersey, while riding their bikes.
Johnny Gaudreau, a seven-time NHL All-Star, wore No. 13.
More: Flyers hope having Guy Gaudreau at practice provides 'some sort of healing'
• The Flyers are scheduled to practice Friday at 11 a.m. ET before hosting the Bruins in their fourth exhibition game Saturday (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP+).
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