Flyers right winger Travis Konecny named to his first All-Star team
Konecny is the lone Flyer chosen for the Jan. 25 event in St. Louis.
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Right winger Travis Konecny was the lone Flyers player named to the All-Star team Monday.
Konecny, 22, leads the Flyers with 34 points and is tied for second with 11 goals, one behind James van Riemsdyk.
Carter Hart, whose 2.43 goals-against average is fourth in the NHL among goalies who have played at least 25 games, was also a strong candidate, along with defenseman Ivan Provorov (nine goals, 23 points, plus-5), who has averaged close to 25 minutes per game, and center Sean Couturier (30 points), one of the league’s best two-way players.
“I didn’t expect it, especially with some of the names we have on our team,” Konecny said. “It’s something you don’t really think about until it happens.”
The All-Star Game will be played Jan. 25 in St. Louis at 8 p.m., and Konecny will be among the Metropolitan Division representatives. There will be a three-on-three All-Star tournament featuring four teams — one from each division. Each team will be composed of 11 players: six forwards, three defensemen, and two goaltenders.
Konecny missed the first four days of training camp because he was negotiating a new contract before signing a six-year, $33-million deal. He has been the Flyers’ most consistent player since the start of the season, when he had two goals and an assist in a 4-3 opening-game win over Chicago in Prague. He is on pace for 71 points, which would shatter his career high of 49 points set last season.
Konecny, selected in the first round (24th overall) of the 2015 draft, has points in 24 of 36 games.
Hayes scores winner
The Flyers improved to 1-1 on their six-game road trip Sunday, getting an overtime goal from Kevin Hayes and strong goaltending from Brian Elliott in a 2-1 win in Anaheim.
Hayes scored on a breakaway after taking a slick pass from Jake Voracek (two assists) with 1:07 left in OT. The Flyers rebounded from a listless 6-1 loss Saturday in San Jose, their first game since the holiday break.
“Really good effort,” defenseman Matt Niskanen said after Sunday’s win. “The guys really brought their 'A’ stuff and competed hard, and we got rewarded. ... We were just way more determined. [Saturday] night, I think we were still on vacation the first two periods. We cranked it up tonight. That’s what you like to see from the team in a response game.”