John Stevens made the first round of preseason roster cuts yesterday, largely comprised of the young players who suited up in the preseason opener against the Devils. The club is now carrying 32 players, with three goaltenders (Martin Biron, J-S Aubin and Maxime Ouellet).

None of the cuts were surprises. Among others, defensemen Luca Sbisa and Marc-Andre Bourdon and goaltender Jacob DeSerres were sent back to their junior teams, while forwards Andreas Nodl, Jon Kalinski and Matt Clackson were sent to the Phantoms.

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The Phantoms have run their preseason record to 2-0 after a second straight win over the Lowell Devils. Patrick Maroon and Michael Ratchuk both scored again in the Phantoms' 4-1 win in Trenton yesterday. David Laliberte and Zac Rinaldo (empty netter) had the other tallies for Philadelphia.

The Phantoms led 3-0 until the late stages of the game, when Lowell finally got on the board. Scott Munroe stopped all 17 saves he faced over the first and second period. Jacob DeSerres came in for the third period and turned back six of seven shots.

The Phantoms' next home exhibition game is this on Saturday at 6:30 P.M. at the Skate Zone in Northeast Philadelphia against the Norfolk Admirals. All tickets are $10.

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There will be 11 former Flyers captains on the ice for the captains ceremony at the Spectrum game on Saturday: Bobby Clarke, Bill Barber, Dave Poulin, Keith Primeau, Eric Desjardins, Derian Hatcher, Mel Bridgman, Ed Van Impe, Ron Sutter, Kevin Dineen and the club's first captain, Lou Angotti.

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Speaking of Flyers alumni, there is sad news about Wayne Stephenson, the longtime backup goaltender to Bernie Parent. Best known as the goalie who beat the Red Army team in 1976, the 63-year-old Stephenson is now battling battling brain cancer.

One of the most interested chapters of Jim Jackson's "Walking Together Forever" book deals with Stephenson, who viewed himself as something of an outsider on the Cup teams
and chafed at being considered just a backup goaltender.

He also was one of most successful players in putting him career behind him once it was over and moving on to a game plan for life after hockey. Stephenson has had a very succesful career in the banking and investment industries and was one of the few Broad Street Bully era Flyers to attend and graduate college.

It was only after his career ended that Stephenson started to bond with the other members of those Flyers teams. While he was never a regular at get-togethers, he would always make sure to go to the annual Gene Hart Memorial Golf Tournament for charity.

As is usually the case, the Flyers Alumni have rallied around Stephenson and his family to express their support. I think that I can safely speak on behalf of both Flyers fans and local hockey writers in saying that everyone's thoughts go out to them in this very difficult time.

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