QUICK HITS: MAY 11, 2018
1) OHL Finals: With the Ontario Hockey League Finals tied at two games apiece between the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (Morgan Frost) and Hamilton Bulldogs (Matthew Strome), the scene shifts back to the Essar Centre in Sault Ste. Marie on Friday night for Game 5. It has been a very tight series so far, with each of the first four games either being decided by one goal (two in overtime, one in regulation) or by one goal plus an empty netter. The Bulldogs won Games 1 (OT) and 3, while the Greyounds prevailed in Games 2 and 4 (OT).
2) St. Louis Blues prospect Jordan Kyrou of the Sarnia Sting has won the Red Tilson Trophy as the 2017-18 Ontario Hockey League most valuable player. Kyrou, a draft-plus-two player who turned 20 on May 5, posted 109 points in 56 games while also representing gold medalist Team Canada at the World Junior Championships.
Frost, a draft-plus-one center who will turn 19 on May 14, was 2nd in the OHL with 112 points in 67 games and led all three CHL-affiliated leagues with a plus-70 rating during the regular season. He hit both the 40-goal (42) and 70-assist milestones this season.
As with the NHL's Hart Trophy, playoff performance does not figure into the Red Tilson Trophy selection. However, it is still worth noting that Kyou managed only four points (three goals, one assist) in 12 playoff games this spring for Sarnia, whereas Frost has 27 points through the Greyhounds' first 22 playoff games despite some inconsistency (likely related to the accumulated fatigue on his slight frame) as the postseason has progressed.
Frost is a virtual shoo-in for the WJC next year after being snubbed for even a summer evaluation camp invitation from Hockey Canada last summer. In such a highly competitive pool of players, there is no shame in an 18-year-old being bypassed, although there were a few 2017 NHL Draft selections such as Hamilton's Robert Thomas (St. Louis Blues) who made Team Canada this year. By way of context, even future Flyers star Claude Giroux, who had 112 points in his draft-plus-one season, was not selected for Team Canada at the WJC until his draft-plus-two year at age 19.
3) The IIHF.com website features an interview with Flyers forward Michael Raffl, talking about his motivation to help the winless Austrian national team salvage some positives from what has thus far been a frustrating tournament. Raffl has played in two games to date, recording one assist. For more
click here.
4) The Flyers Alumni Team will take on the Philadelphia FOP police team on Friday in a special benefit game.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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