Provorov making favorable early impression at Flyers' camp

Ivan Provorov, the highly regarded rookie defenseman who is trying to earn a roster spot, made a slick breakout pass to put the winning goal in motion as the Gray edged the Black, 2-1, in a Flyers intrasquad scrimmage Sunday before a huge crowd in Voorhees.

"I thought Provy was solid and efficient," coach Dave Hakstol said of the defenseman's overall play.

Goalie Steve Mason played half the game for the winners and was flawless. Afterward, Mason praised Provorov, who was paired with rookie Phil Myers.

"Myers is a big kid and moves well, and Ivan seems very calm back there," Mason said. "He seems to get out of situations with relative ease where he has pressure on him."

Jordan Weal, who took a pass from Provorov, and Wayne Simmonds had assists on Brayden Schenn's winning goal.

Weal called Provorov a "really good player. You can see it in his passing and his skating. He's got a lot of confidence. He obviously tore up the WHL - it's a great league - and it's going to be exciting to see him moving forward."

Provorov, 19, said it was "good to get out there and play a competitive game, even though we played with a running clock. I'm trying to do everything I can, compete, follow what the coaches say and play my game."

The Flyers open their exhibition season with a pair of split-squad games Monday, one in New Jersey (97.5 radio) and the other in Brooklyn (webcast on Flyers' site) against the Islanders.

Their exhibitions Tuesday against the visiting Islanders and Wednesday against New Jersey in Allentown will be televised on the Comcast Network

The Flyers are one of seven NHL teams that have players on both of the World Cup finalists: Canada (Claude Giroux) and North America (Mark Streit, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare).

Breakaways. Right winger Travis Konency sat out the Flyers' scrimmage (maintenance day) but will play in New Jersey on Monday. Provorov will also play in New Jersey. . . . Jake Voracek returned from the World Cup and skated Sunday but did not participate in the scrimmage. None of the Flyers' seven World Cup participants are expected to play in the first four exhibition games. . . . Speedy defenseman Michael Del Zotto looks 100 percent recovered from wrist surgery. . . . Mason said Andrew MacDonald, who was paired with Sam Morin in the scrimmage, showed "class" the way he handled his minor-league demotion last year before returning to the Flyers and playing well down the stretch. "He really was probably one of our best defensemen," Mason said. "He's a great person and it was nice to see him come through it, and he's probably gained some mental toughness as well." . . . Greg Carey and Nicolas Aube-Kubel also scored in the scrimmage. Michael Raffl and Will O'Neill were in a wicked collision but both popped up and appeared fine.