SAN JOSE, Calif. — Considering they didn’t work on it until the last week of training camp, the Flyers were OK with their power play even though it went a measly 6-for-46 in the preseason.

Not only was it effective in the season opener, a 5-3 win over the San Jose Sharks, it was efficient. The Flyers started out 3-for-3 and scored 56 seconds, eight seconds and six seconds into those man advantages.

“Jokingly we said we were saving them for the season,” said Shayne Gostisbehere, who had assists on all three power-play goals. “As a team too I thought we played pretty well, too, battled through some adversity, ups and downs in that game. It’s good to see and good to get two points to start the year.”

Largely it was thanks to Wayne Simmonds, who had his second career hat trick and the first in Flyers history on opening night.

He tipped shots from Gostisbehere and Jake Voracek on the power play, then added the nail in the coffin, an empty-net goal with 36 seconds left.

“He’s the best in the biz at that,” Gostisbehere said. “They always tell me if I get the puck through on net, don’t get it blocked, you’re gonna get a point. It’s either gonna go in or Simmer’s gonna tip it. It’s obviously a weapon we have and obviously he showed it tonight.”

Part of what worked was just plays off the rush. The latter two goals came almost right off faceoffs, but Jordan Weal’s tally was a give-and-go with Travis Konecny. Scoring off the rush at even strength was a weakness of the team last season, let alone the power play.

They’re also creating from behind the net. Rookie Nolan Patrick had been doing that late in the preseason and Wednesday night was stationed along the left wing boards with Sean Couturier behind the net.

Whatever the process that works, the Flyers want to keep it going. They didn’t score on their last two power plays, but three in one night is a good start. They only did that twice last season.

“We didn’t start working on power play until the end of camp,” Simmonds said. “I think our focus was to get our legs going and make sure we had our 5-on-5 structure down and everything like that and with our power play, both units this year, it was only a matter of time. We kept working on it and we’re going to continue working on it, but (Wednesday) was a pretty good showing.”

“The last three games of the preseason things were clicking pretty well. Tonight the puck went in the net,” coach Dave Hakstol added. “Real good shooting mentality. Scored a couple early by having real great net-front presence, one or two passes and putting it to the net. It was effective for us tonight.”

The storyline of a dormant power play seemed to get under the Flyers’ skin a little bit in the preseason.

Perhaps because it cost Joey Mullen his job, but also because they just hadn’t put much time into it yet.

“Power play was good,” Jake Voracek said with a smile. “I know it’s a story for you guys, so I’m happy for that.”

Here are four more takeaways from the Flyers’ season-opening win…

Kids are calm

It was the debut for Patrick and second NHL game for Robert Hagg. The No. 2 overall pick didn’t get a point, but did help create some plays that looked dangerous.

“I asked him if he was nervous before the game and he’s like, ‘Nope,’” Simmonds recalled. “Jakey said, ‘Ah, you probably should be a little bit nervous.’ He’s a really smart player. He played really well. He made the little plays and I think he’s just gonna continue to get better.”

Hagg, on a pair with Gostisbehere, put in 16:13 of work and got time on both sides of special teams. Part of why Gostisbehere likes that pair is that Hagg will play the right side despite being a left-handed shot, which opens Gostisbehere up to play his natural left side.

“You’d think he’d be nervous, but he’s so calm,” Gostisbehere said of his partner. “He’s a cool, calm and collected guy. He just sees the game so well and is a good, calming presence back there. I think he played well tonight. Obviously we could get a little better, use each other a little better, but we played well.”

The third rookie in the game had the most experience. Taylor Leier’s last NHL game prior to the season opener came in San Jose last December. He was a minus-1, but was terrific on the penalty kill and had two shots on goal, both of them dangerous.

Elliott finding his way

Just like skaters, goalies have to make the adjustment from preseason’s sometimes sloppy hockey to the much sharper play in the regular season.

Early on, goalie Brian Elliott looked a little uneasy. He tried to poke check the puck away from Kevin Labanc, who had a pair of goals for the Sharks, but it found its way to the front of the net and Radko Gudas had to clear it out of harm’s way.

He also seemed to have difficulty tracking the puck through traffic in front, but made some big stops on the penalty kill and covered up another adventure out of his goal crease by diving back in and forcing the Shark to shoot at the side of the net.

“The first games of the season you’re always figuring things out,” said Elliott, who made 32 saves in his Flyers debut. “Everybody’s going to that next level. It’s not preseason anymore. I think every shift is figuring things out and make sure you’re playing it like it’s the third period and you’re up a goal. You’ve got to get pucks in, get pucks out and we saw a couple plays in the first period where we kind of beat ourselves by not getting pucks out of the line. That’s stuff we’ll clean up.”

Fourth-line depth

What a difference a year makes between what the Flyers had on the fourth line and what they now roll with.

Young legs of Leier and Scott Laughton, both 23, provide an element of speed and Michael Raffl can carry the puck and be a grinder that moves opponents out of the way. So far it looks like a good trio. They combined for four of the Flyers’ 31 shots.

“Leiersy and Laughts are a big part of our PK and they did a very good job tonight,” Hakstol said. “That line of three, even though with all the specialty teams we didn’t get them out there as much as we’d like, I thought that line did a really good job in terms of grinding and momentum and created a little bit.

“We have to roll four (lines). I think that depth has to be something that turns into a strength for us. (Wednesday) it was a real positive. Now we’re going into a back-to-back right away in the first two games of the season so it’s going to come into play (Thursday).”

Big finish

Last season the Flyers routinely came up limp in the third period. It’s only the first game, but if it’s a sign that they’re better at finishing stronger, that can go a long way.

They entered the third period nursing a one-goal lead and proceeded to outshoot the Sharks 17-11 in the final stanza.

Dave Isaac; 856-486-2479; disaac@gannett.com