BOSTON — Flyers coach Dave Hakstol is careful about what he says about his players. He’s less so when it comes to what his actions say about them.
Benching Travis Konecny and Shayne Gostisbehere at times last season, benching and ultimately demoting Travis Sanheim this year — he’s less the nurturing teacher many perceived when he was hired three years ago as he is an NHL coach in search of the two points available that night.
So starting rookie goaltender Alex Lyon on Thursday against the third-best team in the National Hockey League was interesting, even given that it was the second game of a back-to-back, or that the Flyers arrived in Boston early Thursday morning amid the latest nor’easter, or even that the Bruins were missing three of their best players.