Need to Know: Bruins at Flyers

BOSTON -The Bruins are set to take on the Philadelphia Flyers Saturday night at Wells Fargo Center for their first of six preseason games. New head coach Jim Montgomery will get his first look at prospects Fabian Lysell and Johnny Beecher, who will both see lots of ice time after a succesful first few days of training camp. Here's everything you need to know ahead of the 7 p.m. puck drop:

On the Offensive

Although it is a young group heading to face the Flyers, all players in camp got in a Saturday morning skate. Brandon Carlo shared how he has enjoyed getting more involved in the offensive side of things to this point in camp.
"First and foremost, I think it's always fun when you have the opportunity to be more involved in the offensive side of the game," said Carlo. "I think that's where a lot of the smiles come when you make good plays in the offensive zone."
Although excited, Carlo recognizes the road ahead. "I think it'll be a challenge," said Carlo. "It will be a learning process in certain regards for me going forward, but I'm looking forward to that challenge."
Carlo also made a point to mention the importance of trying things out in the preseason, noting the regular season will be more focused on results.
"Preseason is a good opportunity for all of us to kind of find our games and expand on the things that we've been working on in the summer," said Carlo.
Carlo also noted that he believes Montgomery will be successful in keeping the door open to try these new things out. "I just have to not be afraid to make those mistakes," said Carlo. "I think Monty's doing good at expressing that it's going to be OK."

When Montgomery was asked about encgouraging players to take a more offensive approach, he reinforced that even if mistakes are made, it's what they need to be doing. "I'm giving not only Brandon, but everybody, a long leash to get them out of their comfort zone to do that," said Montgomery. "I think there was one instance actually today where Carlo jumped and the puck got turned over. And I said to him, 'I want you going there.'"
Of course mistakes will happen, but with wins at the forefront, Montgomery addressed just how long the "trial and error" period is going to last. "I always have a long term view," said Montgomery, while noting that the sooner they can work through the kinks the better, and that every player learns at their own pace and in their own style. "I think that the more you can allow players early on to play through stuff - and I'm talking like long would be around Thanksgiving, right? - so that they get it because everybody learns differently and some people can just see it and visualize it and apply it because their brain works that way."
As far as the B's matchup Saturday night, Montgomery is looking for the younger players to put in that second and third effort. "Looking for them to continue to make plays," said Montgomery. And then second and third effort on pucks, they've been doing a good job of both those things."

Ant-On the Scene

The Bruins signed defensman Anton Stralman Saturday morning to a Professional Tryout Agreement (PTO). The defenseman appeared in 74 games with the Arizona Coyotes during the 2021-22 season and is excited to see how the cards fall now that he is here in Boston.
"I'm just here trying to to play hockey, do my best," said Stralman. "And then at the end we'll see if there's a spot or not a spot or whatever it may be. I'm just here to compete and have fun, and that's my key."
Stralman made a point to not get ahead of himself, noting that the future is unknown. "It's the first day, it's a PTO," said Stralman. "I'm not going to go in and talk about what I'm going to do four months from now. I'm focusing on today and tomorrow. And at the end of the day, if there's a spot available, awesome. If not you know, that's life, I'm just excited to be here."
Montgomery is excited to have Stralman here, recognizing his valuable strengths, including being a right-shot defenseman, a position that is lacking depth with Charlie McAvoy sidelined to start the season.
"His gift is his brain and how he competes," said Montgomery. "Guys like that are able to extend their careers because they have the ability to adjust because of their brains in any role. So for us, it's exciting to have him here because it gives us another right handed shot."

Opposing View

The Flyers also enter this new season with a new head coach in John Tortorella. Philadelphia will have two NHL vets who are signed to a PTO that will be trying to show off their stuff at Wells Fargo Center in centerman Artem Anisimov and left winger Antoine Roussel. The B's will see a familiar face in the projected starting goaltender for the Flyers, Troy Grosenick, who spent some time with the B's last season before signing with Philadelphia this summer.

Saturday's Projected Lineup

FORWARDS
Foligno - Beecher - DeBrusk
Greer - Studnicka - Lysell
Wagner - Nosek - Steen
Lauko - Kopppanen - Lettieri
DEFENSEMEN
Zboril - Carrick
Ahcan - Didier
Renouf - Wissmann
GOALIES
Kinkaid
Keyser