First National Hockey League 3 on 3 overtime game was a huge success

But nearly to a man, the Flyers beg to differ.

The National Hockey League previously played 4-on-4 overtime.

The Flyers continue to offer one of the best offensive duos in the League in the form of Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek. “So the 3-on-3 is a little bit like that”.

A 33-31-18 record last season resulted in Berube’s ousting and spurred Flyers GM Ron Hextall to ship out as many aging, overpaid defenders as he could. “We’re not all that anxious about people on the outside and what they are saying. We’re going to do that”. So it’s incredibly exciting to see the Flyers basically play Tampa Bay to a draw in the shot attempt statistics (37-35 Tampa Bay at evens). When you have something to prove, it’s a cause worth fighting for. I think game days, you’ve got to practice it at game-day speed.

Bishop seems to have picked up where he left off in last season’s playoffs, when he posted two Game 7 shutouts to bring the Lightning within two wins of the Stanley Cup. The Flyers? They’ll be considered lucky to claw their way into the postseason. “They can’t take any nights off, as they’re going to learn that everyone is gunning for them”. So it’s a matter of having consistency and work as a team and get better. “Make sure we’re in that mix”.

With the first unit, Stamkos has been back at his regular left circle spot – as opposed to the slot, where he was for part of the playoffs.

“At that point, everyone knows this is the moment”, Kunitz said.

Wickett said it was the first time he can remember the focus shifting from season tickets in 16 seasons with the team. Michael Del Zotto performed well during his first season in Philadelphia past year.

“We’re not 21, 22 years old anymore”. Last year, Philly notched 138 goals at 5-on-5 (25th in the NHL) and yielded 137 (9th in the NHL). No more excuses. No bad starts. “Everyone is in shape and body-wise everyone is ready, the mental side is the bigger challenge”.

“It’s just outside noise, ” Mason said.

Bishop did not play in a 3-on-3 overtime during the preseason.

“This is a self-motivated group, ” he said. I honestly haven’t thought about it a whole lot. According to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times, Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop said, “Personally, I don’t think it’s fair”.

What to watch: A tall order for the Flyers against the defending Eastern Conference champions. Callahan and Drouin were credited with assists on the goal. A nice tic-tac-toe play ended with Matt Read potting the first goal of the season. Philadelphia had two former Lightning players as scratches, C Vincent Lecavalier and D Radko Gudas, as well as C Sam Gagner…. “We gave things up”, coach Dave Hakstol said. Philadelphia RW Wayne Simmonds led the team with 28 goals in 2014-15 – one shy of his career high.3. Medvedev’s shot from the point was stopped by Bishop, but Brayden Schenn crashed the net and put home the rebound. With all 5 Flyers collapsing in the zone…all below the tops of the face-off circles, Garrison had time and space to snap a shot from 60 feet out, beating screened Steve Mason. Both proven 20-goal scorers were held to single digits a year ago and that can’t happen again.

Shootouts, of course, have not been kind to the Flyers since they started in 2005-06. Johnson, who has the potential to be a prime scorer for the Lightning, showed the type of tenacity and toughness that he will need if he is to play effectively against the league’s larger defensemen.