PHILADELPHIA \u2014 Michael DiPietro is poised to serve as Jeremy Swayman\u2019s backup in the Boston net this season, but he\u2019s already proven in the early going that he\u2019s a master thief.<\/p>\n
Despite taking a 2-0 loss<\/a> to the Flyers on Thursday night, DiPietro stole the show at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in the Bruins\u2019 first setback after three preseason games. <\/p>\n It was DiPietro\u2019s second solid game of the preseason as he solidified his roster spot.<\/p>\n DiPietro made 26 saves \u2014 including a handful of 10 bellers \u2014 playing behind a lineup made up mostly of bubble players still battling for roster spots.<\/p>\n \u201cA great, solid effort from him,\u201d said Bruins coach Marco Sturm. \u201cHe was really, really good. Kept us in there in the game all night.\u201d<\/p>\n Of the 20 players who suited up for Marco Sturm, only Charlie McAvoy, Sean Kuraly, and James Hagens are NHL roster locks. The Flyers, meanwhile, played a lot of their projected regulars, including their top six forwards and top defensive pairs.<\/p>\n Get Sports Alerts<\/p>\n The latest sports news and Globe’s most interesting reporting and commentary right to your inbox.<\/p>\n \u201cI think obviously they were pretty top heavy up front, and I think when those go guys come in the lineup, you can never take it for face value,\u201d said DiPietro. \u201cI think they can always make that extra play, extra pass. So, just making sure I set myself up for success and just making good reads and staying on my feet as much as possible was definitely a key tonight. <\/p>\n \u201cAnd yeah, it was a lot of fun to battle out there and it was a good learning experience.\u201d <\/p>\n As hot as DiPietro was, the offense was ice cold. The Bruins landed 28 shots on Joseph Woll, but the Flyers goalie didn\u2019t face the same number of high-danger shots as DiPietro.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was hard I think for every line out there today,\u201d said Sturm. \u201cThe [Flyers] didn\u2019t give you much. They skated very well. But yeah, [our guys] tried their best.\u201d <\/p>\n Jim McBride can be reached at james.mcbride@globe.com<\/a>. Follow him @globejimmcbride<\/a>.<\/p>\n