Bump shows flashes as Flyers drop to Canadiens in preseason originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers fell to the Canadiens, 4-2, in preseason action Tuesday night at Bell Centre.

Anthony Richard and Owen Tippett provided the Flyers’ goals. Travis Sanheim nearly tied the game in the third period on a shorthanded breakaway, but the defenseman was denied by Montreal netminder Kaapo Kahkonen.

The Canadiens’ fourth goal came with the Flyers on a power play and their net emptied.

The trip to Montreal was the second of seven preseason games for the Flyers, who are 1-1-0 so far. They beat the Islanders, 3-2, Sunday night in a shootout.

• Alex Bump made his preseason debut Tuesday night and played a real noticeable game.

The young roster hopeful didn’t score, but he was active and you could see his ability to complement NHL talent.

In the first period, he stripped a Canadien and got a shot on net. In the third period, he had a nice move on a semi-breakaway, but couldn’t quite finish.

Bump did take a couple of hits on the night, but popped back up each time.

The 21-year-old winger didn’t hurt his chances at making the Flyers’ season-opening roster.

Jett Luchanko, another youngster trying to open eyes, made some subtle, effective plays.

• Samuel Ersson played the first period and surrendered two goals on nine shots.

The first was a Cole Caufield blast as Montreal flipped a Sean Couturier turnover into a 3-on-2 opportunity. The second was a Florian Xhekaj shot that Ersson probably knows he can stop.

Aleksei Kolosov converted 12 saves on 13 shots over the final two periods. The 23-year-old has made 27 saves on 30 shots through two exhibition outings.

• Rick Tocchet gave Rodrigo Abols a second straight look after the 29-year-old forward impressed in the preseason opener.

“I really liked his first period last game, I thought he was really good,” the Flyers’ head coach said Tuesday morning. “He’s a big guy who can skate. I don’t know him, but from watching him, I love big guys that can skate like that.

“Can he fit a role? When you’ve got a guy like that, I want to see how he can play two, three games in a row. The hardest part, I find, for the guys that come up from the minors, they give you a good game and then they fall off.”

Abols fared well against the Canadiens. He played with physicality and had a team-high three shots.

Richard, who’s pushing for a bottom-six job like Abols, showed off a great burst of speed to put the Flyers on the board in the second period.

• Tippett drew the Flyers to within 3-2 in the middle stanza when he didn’t hesitate to fire a shot from the circle on the power play.

“Whatever the team gives you and it’s a Grade A, you take it,” Tocchet said last Friday. “We’re not looking for tic-tac-toes. If they’re there, take it. To me, be aggressive. The best power plays are the teams that break pressure and they attack, so that’s what we’re going to do.”

• Dennis Gilbert, who is vying to be the Flyers’ sixth or seventh blueliner, played a reliable game. He picked up an assist on Richard’s goal and delivered some hits.

“You notice him out there even when you coach against him,” Tocchet said last Saturday. “He’s a physical guy, he’s not afraid to stick up for his teammates. If he can play a solid game for us, the way we want him to play, I think he has got a good shot at making our team.”

• The Flyers will be on the ice Wednesday in Voorhees, New Jersey before they resume preseason action Thursday against the Capitals at Giant Center (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP+).