While there was not anything to gain as far as the playoffs after the exhibition game, the Philadelphia Flyers had things to prove. Exhibition games display the depth of the playoff roster while the team gains confidence. One depth player that played like he had something to prove was Shayne Gostisbehere.
I highlighted before the exhibition game that Shayne Gostisbehere performs well against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The goal for Gostisbehere was to show that he could contribute and earn playing time during the upcoming round-robin. Mark Friedman performed better than Gostisbehere on defense. In an exercise of building confidence, Ghostmay have found his mark with Travis Konecny and Scott Laughton in overtime. He was credited with a game-winning assist alongside Konecny on Laughton’s overtime goal.
Philippe Myers and Travis Sanheim had a hard time against the Pittsburgh Penguins. With Justin Braun and Robert Hagg out as healthy scratches, this was a golden opportunity for Shayne Gostisbehere and Egor Zamula. Gostisbehere played his game, a two-way defenseman, finishing with an assist and a plus-one in overtime. Alain Vigneault likes what he saw from Gostisbehere.
“He’s got a lot of pop, a lot of jump on the ice. That’s very good for us as a team.”
Alain Vigneault; 7/28/2020
As of right now, Ghost is the seventh defenseman on the Philadelphia Flyers roster. He is first in line if something happens to anyone in the starting lineup. His confidence after his performance increased after the exhibition win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Aside from his performance, Gostisbehere feels brand new after his knee surgery. He feels like he did a couple of years ago.
“I’m definitely one hundred percent right now. I feel good. Probably the healthiest I’ve felt in a couple years. I’m happy to contribute any way that I can.”
Shayne Gostisbehere; 7/28/2020
A healthy Shayne Gostisbehere could be a game-changer for the Philadelphia Flyers. Over the past couple of years, the young defenseman was hampered by his knee. In his own words, he is completely healthy. Perhaps this is a rebirth that was si desperately needed. Rewind to a couple of years ago, he played the best season of his entire career. There could be another few chapters in his novel yet.
Mandatory Credit: Mark Blinch/NHLI via USA TODAY Sports
