Konecny, Provorov Continue Push to Make Team

PHILADELPHIA — As the competition gets better, so do the Flyers’ two biggest prospects.

It’s becoming tougher and tougher for general manager Ron Hextall to turn winger Travis Konecny and defenseman Ivan Provorov away. Konecny had a goal and Provorov an assist in the Flyers’ 4-3 overtime win over the New York Rangers Monday night.

“It’s very impressive,” said Jake Voracek, who notched the winner 27 seconds into overtime with a power-forward move to edge out Ryan McDonagh. “You look at Konecny, the way he works, look at Provorov, the way he handles the puck, look at (Sam) Morin…I think he had a good game. He’s strong. He’s a beast. He’s good with the stick. Obviously it’s a good sign for us, for our team. It’s great to see them play like that.”

Provorov and Konecny are both 19. It’s either the NHL or back to their junior teams, where both were dominant last year in different leagues.

Provorov owned the Western Hockey League, named the best defenseman in all of Canadian junior hockey and helped the Brandon Wheat Kings to a WHL title. He may be given a bit of a longer leash considering Radko Gudas got ejected in the first period for boarding Rangers rookie Jimmy Vesey. While he is a repeat offender, the NHL had no comment on whether he’d face a hearing on the hit.

Konecny dealt with being traded from the Ottawa 67’s to the Sarnia Sting and notched 101 points in 60 games between the two clubs. In fact, there is still a stipulation in that trade to be determined. If he makes the NHL roster out of training camp, Ottawa gets two more draft picks in the Ontario Hockey League draft.

With his second goal of preseason Monday, it’s looking more and more likely that  may be the case.