QUICK HITS: APRIL 24, 2017
1) The Carlson Hockey Games, a preparation tournament for the 2017 IIHF World Championships, gets underway in the Czech Republic and Sweden on April 27 and runs through April 30. The participating teams are Sweden, Finland, Russian and the Czech Republic. Flyers forward Valtteri Filppula is already confirmed for the Finnish team. Only the Swedish and Finnish rosters have been officially announced at this point. It is possible that Flyers left wing prospect Oskar Lindblom (currently playing in the SHL finals) could be a late addition to Tre Kronor before the World Championships begin.
2) Flyers defenseman Radko Gudas will be joining the Czech team at the World Championships. According a report from Czech media outlet Ceske Novinky, Gudas
initially failed a physical but subsequently passed a second medical exam. Gudas missed the final few games of the Flyers' season with an upper-body injury but resumed skating in the days leading up to the concluding weekend of the season. Flyers right winger Jakub Voracek is also expected to join the Czech team. Goaltender Michal Neuvirth, who is feeling better after his scary collapsing/fainting episode on April 1, is not expected to play.
3) With both Alex Lyon and Anthony Stolarz injured and unavailable to play, Lehigh Valley Phantoms head coach Scott Gordon is faced with a choice between ECHL/AHL swingman goalie Martin Ouellette and highly touted 18-year-old prospect Carter Hart as the Phantoms try to avoid elimination on Wednesday night in Hershey in game three of the best-of-five series between the Phantoms and Bears. The feeling here is that the Phantoms opt for the 25-year-old Ouellette, who at least has three pro seasons under his belt and has generally held his own in 21 games for the Phantoms spaced over his career to date. It is doubtful the Flyers organization wants to risk putting the 18-year-old Hart in a Jean-Marc Pelletier type of situation in an elimination playoff game.
4) Signed this week by the Flyers to an entry-level contract, forward prospect Connor Bunnaman will be joining the Phantoms for the rest of its postseason run. As with defense prospect Philippe Myers and Hart (before the Lyon injury forced the Phantoms to at least dress him as a backup for Game Three), it is unlikely that Bunnaman sees imminent game action.
5) One game after seeing a third period slip away on home ice, Brynäs IF Gävle claimed a 2-0 road victory in Game 5 of the SHL Finals to take a three games to two lead in their Swedish Hockey League championship final against HV71 Jönköping.
Flyers goaltending prospect Felix Sandström returned to the net for Game 5 after serving as the backup goalie to veteran David Rautio (who struggled last game). The young goalie responded with a 24-save shutout in a game that was scoreless until the final minute of the second period and 1-0 until a BIF empty netter in the final five seconds. Flyers left wing prospect Oskar Lindblom was held off the scoresheet for the fourth straight game but was in the middle of several scoring chances.
Brynäs has a chance to win the Swedish championship on home ice on Thursday. If unable to do so, Game 7 will be in Jönköping on Saturday.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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