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Quick Hits: Chicago Game, Neuvirth, Manning, Allison, Alumni and More

November 8, 2017, 12:06 PM ET [233 Comments]
Bill Meltzer
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • RSSArchiveCONTACT
QUICK HITS: NOVEMBER 8, 2017

1) The Philadelphia Flyers have one more night off before they begin a stretch of 21 games in 45 days to lead into the NHL's Christmas break. It all starts Thursday when the Flyers host the Chicago Blackhawks in a rematch of a game at the United Center last Wednesday. Based on today's practice, it appears that Michal Neuvirth will get his third straight start in goal after a stellar shutout performance in St. Louis and a so-so outing in Saturday's home shootout loss against Colorado.

2) In the previous game against Chicago, despite a 3-0 loss, the Flyers had all sorts of high-quality scoring chances. They simply could not get a puck past Corey Crawford -- mostly because Crawford played a spectacular game but also because the goalie had a bit of good luck on a couple pucks that danced near the goal line.

"I thought we played a real good game in Chicago last week," Flyers alternate captain Wayne Simmonds said on Monday. "They have a lot of firepower and they will make you pay for mistakes. But if we create as many chances as we did last time, I feel pretty good that we will come away with the two points."

3) Radko Gudas appears likely to be ready to return to the Flyers lineup after missing the last two games due to an upper-body injury sustained when he took an inadvertent elbow to the head from Chicago's Brandon Saad last Wednesday. If Gudas is cleared to play, he will rejoin rookie Travis Sanheim on a defense pairing. Mark Alt is the likely healthy scratch. The other two pairings at practice are Ivan Provorov with Robert Hägg and Shayne Gostisbehere with Brandon Manning.

4) Nolan Patrick still has not rejoined the Flyers for practice, although he is still officially day-to-day. He has been skating on his own this week, according to Flyers' general manager Ron Hextall. After Wednesday's practice, his yellow practice jersey was still hanging at his locker stall in the dressing room.

5) With all of the attrition on the Flyers' blueline in recent weeks, Brandon Manning has been asked to take on an expanded role at least for the time being. He's responded with some solid hockey on the ice as well as by assuming something of a dressing room leadership role among an inexperienced defense corps.

Hakstol pointed to Manning as an unsung "glue guy" that has helped the team hold things together on the blueline even when they had three regulars (Shayne Gostisbehere, Gudas and the still-rehabbing Andrew MacDonald) out of the lineup last week.

"He's stepped up into that role and given us some stability back there," Hakstol said. "Brandon is a guy who's been through the battles before. He's also done a good job at picking his spots on when to step up and make his voice be heard."

Manning, who was a captain in junior hockey with the WHL's Chilliwack Bruins and an alternate captain in the AHL with the Phantoms by age 23, has always relished taking something of a leadership role behind the scenes. Even during the Flyers 2012 Development Camp -- in which first-time attendee Gostisbehere was the biggest standout on the ice and already polished in interviews -- second-year pro Manning impressed with his comfort in being a mentor and leader to younger attendees.

"That's something that I embrace," Manning said. "We have a lot of younger guys here trying to establish themselves, and I've known them for awhile. I was a bit of a leader in junior and also with the Phantoms, both in Adirondack and the first year in Lehigh Valley. So, I kind of take to that naturally and, if there is something I can offer to help the younger guys out, I'm glad to do it."

When Gostisbehere returned to the lineup and was placed with Manning, there was discussion as to whether "Ghost" would continue playing the left side (which he has done very effectively this season) or switch to his off-side where he spent most of last year. It was decided that Manning, who'd been playing the right by necessity, would stay on that side.

"It's a challenge, for sure, but a really good challenge," Manning said. "I've liked it. With our system and personnel, we break out up that side pretty frequently. Defensively, it adds some adjustments to play your off-side. But I like it."

A hunch: If the Flyers suffer no additional blueline injuries before MacDonald comes back into the lineup and if Manning plays decently in the games leading up to it, it would not be surprising if rookie Travis Sanheim, despite his far higher upside and more dynamic skillset, is the one whom Hakstol sits in the first game of MacDonald's return. Of course, things have a way of changing fast.

6) For the second straight week, a Flyers' prospect has been named the NCAA first-star of the week. Last week, it was Ohio State sophomore forward Tanner Laczynski. This week, it is Western Michigan sophomore forward Wade Allison. The Flyers' 2016 second-round pick enjoyed a dominant weekend against reigning NCAA champion Denver, in which the power forward recorded his first collegiate hat trick amid a five-point (four goals, one assist) weekend sweep.




7) The Lehigh Valley Phantoms played a Wednesday morning road game against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. After trailing 2-0 at the first intermission, the Phantoms struck back for three unanswered goals in the second period and went on to win the game, 4-2.

Phil Varone (3rd), Danick Martel (league-leading 13th), Oskar Lindblom (3rd) and Tyrell Goulbourne (2nd) scored for the Phantoms. T.J. Brennan notched three assists while Mikhail Vorobyev, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Mike Vecchione, Martel and Varone chipped in one helper apiece. The Phantoms' best player on this day, however, was goaltender Alex Lyon (42 saves on 44 shots, including 25 saves over the final 40 minutes).

8) The 5th Annual Faceoff Against Cancer (FOAC) event takes place this weekend. The Flyers Alumni, as usual, are taking part. On Saturday (Nov. 11), the Flyers Alumni Team will take on Team FOAC at 12:30 p.m. at Hatfield Ice. As part of the event, the legendary Bernie Parent will be on hand from 11:30 to 12:30 for a meet-and-greet. All proceeds raised at the yearly FOAC go directly to the benefit of local cancer patients and their families. To learn more about the event, beneficiaries and ticketing information, please visit the official 2017 Faceoff Against Cancer website for more details.

The confirmed Flyers Alumni roster is as follows: Bob Kelly, Joe Watson, Brad Marsh, Frank Bialowas, Dave MacIssac, Rob MacInnis, Freddy Cassivi, Larry Goodenough, Riley Cote, Chase Watson, Brett Watson, Len Ellis, Doug Crossman and Mitch Lamoureaux.

9) On Sunday. the Alumni have another game; this time at Regency Ice Arena in Lancaster, PA. The confirmed Alumni roster: Bob Kelly, Joe Watson, Brad Marsh, Mitch Lamoureaux, Frank Bialowas, Chase Watson, Larry Goodenough, Matt Tendler, Larry Courville, Terry Carkner, Len Ellis, Riley Cote, Pete Zingoni, and Bryan Helmer (vice president of the Hershey Bears and a former player). Dave Culp and Jim "Turk" Evers are the trainers/equipment managers for both games.
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