If the Flyers' three-on-three overtime scrimmage on Sunday is any indication, the pace of the new format is going to be frenetic.
Chris VandeVelde scored the game-winner in OT before another big crowd in Voorhees.
Teams will play a five-minute three-on-three OT this season. If no team ends the game with a goal, a shootout will follow.
"It's definitely going to be exciting for the fans," said winning goalie Steve Mason, who made a sensational sprawling save on Mark Streit's rebound in OT. "There's going to be so many (scoring) opportunities."
Goalies, Mason noted, can be a big factor in the three-on-three by serving long outlet passes.
"It's going to be an option. I can get it up there, and once it's up there, who knows what can happen," he said. "If I can be an asset in the overtime period with it, that will bode well for us."
Winger Wayne Simmonds likes the new format.
"It's going to end games a lot quicker, that's for sure," Simmonds said. "I like it. We have a lot of skill up front and the back end, so I think it'll help us a lot."
As for the goalies, "you have to be extremely alert," Mason said. "As soon as the puck crosses the red line, anything can happen. We might be breaking out with it, but you can't let off because somebody could be coming with a backcheck and before you know it, you're facing a short breakaway."
The three-on-three on Sunday started with Jake Voracek, Claude Giroux and Michael Del Zotto facing Matt Read, Sean Couturier and Mark Streit.
In theory, the three-on-three will end more games and that should help the Flyers, who were just 3-11 in shootouts last season.
The Flyers will play three NHL-mandated OT games in the preseason _ Tuesday vs. the visiting Rangers, Friday against the visiting Isles, and Sept. 30 at New Jersey.
In those games, an OT will be played regardless of the score at the end of regulation.
Hail, Gagne. The Flyers will honor retired winger Simon Gagne in a pregame ceremony Nov. 17 before they face his former team, Los Angeles.
Exhibition openers. The Flyers will play split-squad preseason games Monday in Allentown and Brooklyn, both against the Islanders.
The rosters:
ALLENTOWN: Head Coach Dave Hakstol and Gord Murphy
BROOKLYN: Joe Mullen and Ian Laperriere
vs. New York Islanders @ PPL Center | Allentown
12 LW Michael Raffl
15 D Michael Del Zotto
20 RW R.J. Umberger
22 D Luke Schenn
23 D Brandon Manning
25 C Ryan White
28 C Claude Giroux
40 C Vincent Lecavalier
41 LW Jay Rosehill
43 D Davis Drewiske
68 C Cole Bardreau
76 LW Chris VandeVelde
78 RW Pierre-Edouard Bellemare
79 D Ivan Provorov
80 RW Travis Konecny
82 D Evgeny Medvedev
89 LW Sam Gagner
93 RW Jakub Voracek
Goaltenders
30 G Michal Neuvirth
67 G Martin Ouellette
vs. New York Islanders @ Barclays Center | Brooklyn
3 D Radko Gudas
10 RW Brayden Schenn
14 C Sean Couturier
17 RW Wayne Simmonds
24 LW Matt Read
33 LW Chris Porter
34 RW Chris Conner
38 LW Aaron Palushaj
47 D Andrew MacDonald
48 D Robert Hagg
49 C Scott Laughton
50 D Sam Morin
52 C Nick Cousins
53 D Shayne Gostisbehere
57 RW Derek Mathers
58 LW Taylor Leier
62 D Logan Pyett
70 LW Danick Martel
73 RW Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Goaltenders
45 G Jason LaBarbera
65 G Anthony Stolarz
Breakaways. Mason is not on either roster; he is expected to play Tuesday vs. the Rangers at the Wells Fargo Center.... Read and Del Zotto also scored in the scrimmage.