Quick Hits: Aug. 31, 2021
1) Today is the penultimate Day of the 2021 Flyers Development Camp at the team's training center in Voorhees. Camp will end tomorrow with a 3-on-3 scrimmage. For a rundown of what happened yesterday during Day 2, click here.
2) Following today's session in Voorhees, Mike O'Connell (senior advisor to Chuck Fletcher on matters related to the player development program) will address the media via zoom about his observations during this year's Development Camp. Additionally, prospects Isaac Ratcliffe, Elliot Desnoyers, Samuel Ersson and Mason Millman will discuss their progress and outlooks for the 2021-22 season. 3) Flyers center Kevin Hayes and his entire family are going through an unspeakably tough time following the sudden passing of Kevin's older brother, former NHL player Jimmy Hayes, last week. Yesterday, Kevin had the gut-wrenching task of eulogizing his brother at Jimmy's funeral. TSN shared an especially eloquent and emotional portion of Kevin's speech. Kevin understandably struggled to compose himself and speak without breaking down and weeping, and he honored Jimmy with a very moving story about his brother's kindness to a child stricken with cancer. It's a bit tough to watch because of the agony that Kevin is in, but it is a beautiful tribute.
Kevin Hayes shared this beautiful story at his brother Jimmy’s funeral. pic.twitter.com/jkVosgLNmo
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 30, 2021
4) Today in Flyers History: August 31, 1996
Today marks the 25th anniversary of the official opening of the Wells Fargo Center (then known as the CoreStates Center). The inaugural event was the first of three 1996 World Cup of Hockey tournament games at the new arena.
The opening-round meeting between Team USA and Team Canada was one of the most highly anticipated game of the preliminary bracket. The only first-round matches that drew similar pregame excitement were Russia-Canada at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 29 (a controversial 5-3 Canadian victory in which the Russians claimed biased officiating after two goals were waived off and the Russians were called for several penalties) and Sweden’s 5-2 win over archrival Finland at Stockholm’s Globe Arena on Sept. 1.
The USA-Canada game marked the official inauguration of the CoreStates center, although the tournament game was actually preceded by an invitation-only free concert by legendary musician Ray Charles on August 12. Upon entry to the USA-Canada game, fans in attendance were allowed to keep their oversized tickets as a fully intact souvenir.
The ticket featured side-by-side action photos of John LeClair and Eric Lindros in Flyers uniforms with the U.S. flag behind LeClair and a Canadian flag behind Lindros.
Prior to the game, shortly after fans were allowed to enter the building, Spectacor chairman Ed Snider (who conceived the idea for the new arena, financed it and saw the project through several years of ups and downs to completion) walked around the lower concourse to welcome people, greeting fans and shaking hands.
Unlike an NHL All-Star Game, in which players representing the home city’s rival teams are often greeted with boos during player introductions, NHL allegiances were largely put aside during the introductions of the American and Canadian players. The sellout crowd contained a significant, extremely vocal minority of Canadians but the crowd on the whole was partisan to Team USA and would become even more so during the finals.
The three Flyers on Team Canada – Lindros, Brind’Amour and Desjardins – were all cheered upon introduction but the response was subdued in comparison to the fan reaction at a typical home opener of the NHL regular season. By far, the loudest ovation for any player on either side was reserved for LeClair.
The roars got even louder when LeClair scored the first goal of the game, putting Team USA up 1-0 at the 5:01 mark of the first period. Proving that his success with the Flyers wasn’t merely the product of riding shotgun to Lindros, LeClair played brilliantly throughout the tournament (6 goals, 10 points in 7 games) on a line with Bryan Smolinski and Amonte.
The other top Team USA offensive line consisted of Mike Modano, Keith Tkachuk and Guerin. For Canada, Lindros centered a physically imposing line, flanked by Keith Primeau (later by Joe Sakic after the lines were juggled) and Brendan Shanahan. Brind’Amour played left wing on the third line.
The physical play and intensity of the match picked up as the game moved along. Team Canada’s defense struggled to handle the Americans’ forecheck, and the Americans skated away with a 5-3 victory that showed they meant business in the tournament.