Flyers Notes: Shayne Gostisbehere sees new look in return from benching

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Fresh off a three-game benching, Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere re-entered the lineup Thursday night with a twist.

His partner was Mark Streit.

“He’s easy to play with,” Gostisbehere said after the Flyers' 3-1 loss to the Islanders (see game story). “I think we adjust to each other very good and I think we complement each other pretty well, not only offensively but moving pucks.

“Down low, it’s easier to make some plays together. He’s a great leader, too. He’s a great talker, so it makes it that much easier.”

Ghost played parts of two games last season with Streit, but this was the first time the two have played together an entire game and the first time coach Dave Hakstol paired them this season.

This move was more about others than Gostisbehere.

“It starts with the other two pairs,” Haksol said. “They’ve played very well together. Those two groups have been a strength and we want to keep them together.”

He was referring to rookie Ivan Provorov paired with Andrew MacDonald and Brandon Manning with Radko Gudas.

Streit has played with several partners this season, most recently with Gudas because of Michael Del Zotto's leg injury (bone bruise).

Streit remained on the left side with Ghost on the right. Gostisbehere, who is left-handed, talked at length on Wednesday about the challenges of playing on right defense, which is what he’s done here as a Flyer after playing the left side his entire life.

“He’s played a couple games on the left side this year but other than that, he’s been on the right side here,” Hakstol said. “In terms of the number of righties, someone has to play the right side and he has good abilities to do that.

“It’s a tough thing. Not just on the defending side but with the puck. Only certain players have the right abilities to do it from handling a D-to-D pass in your own zone on transition to being able to hold the zone on the offensive blue line and being dynamic enough to pull a puck off the wall and make a positive play with it.”

Hakstol said Ghost's stick skills, mobility and comfort level is why he wants him on the right side. Gudas is the only right-handed defenseman on the roster. Streit has played some right side when paired with Nick Schultz, who was scratched for this game.

Hakstol said he expected Ghost to play hard and with confidence, both with and without the puck.

“I thought he worked hard tonight,” Hakstol said. “I thought he moved the puck well and was pretty aggressive with the puck. I thought his play on the power play was solid.”

Gostisbehere set up Wayne Simmonds' power-play goal in the first period to end the Flyers' long scoring drought (134:56).

He was also on the ice for the Jason Chimera and Casey Cizikas goals with different partners, but in both cases, he was not at fault.

Gudas saw the puck go past him to Chimera for one goal and goalie Steve Mason allowed a very weak shot by Cizikas go through for the killer in the third period.

“Yeah, I just tried to block the shot initially and [Cizikas] just turned around and spun it in the net,” Gostisbehere said. “I really didn’t see it yet. Maybe I could have done a little more.”

For his first game back, Ghost took a minus-2 that he doesn’t deserve. He admits he is under some scrutiny right now on the defensive side of the puck.

“Yeah, absolutely,” Gostisbehere said. “There is, but I think I played a sound defensive game. Some bounces here and there don’t go our way, but that’s the game of hockey.” 

ESYHF scholarships
Ed Snider may be gone but his overwhelming generosity lives on and Friday is an example. Noon at West Chester University’s Philps Autograph Library, the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation and Give Something Back will present a check for $500,000 to the school. That money will enable 25 student-athletes from Snider Hockey to extend their education with a free four-year scholarship to attend West Chester University. ESYHF supports more than 3,000 student-athletes.

It’s the pads
Steve Mason wore his Stadium Series black pads for the first time in game action. He has been wearing them in practice to break them in and wasn’t going to debut them until the outdoor game in Pittsburgh. Apparently, he changed his mind.

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