QUICK HITS: APRIL 6, 2017
1) The Flyers resume on-ice practice on Thursday, in preparation for their final two games of the 2016-17 season. The Columbus Blue Jackets are in on Saturday afternoon and the Carolina Hurricanes visit in Sunday evening's season finale.
2) If the Flyers win both games, they will finish with 56 points, which would represent their best home record in a season since 2000-01. Unfortunately, it would also make the Flyers just the third team in NHL history (all since the creation of an 82-game schedule) to have at least 56 points at home but still miss the playoffs. The 2005-06 Vancouver Canucks and 2014-15 Los Angeles Kings share that dubious feat.
3) Although Travis Konecny had an undeniably rough game in Newark on Tuesday, including a bad penalty in the opening minute of the first period and a dangerous turnover in the third period on a low-percentage pass high in the attacking zone, he was far from the only culprit in the game. Veterans Brayden Schenn and Wayne Simmonds each took penalties of their own that were equally careless, and Simmonds in general was just not on his game. It was game 80, and a meaningless one in the big picture. Except for the two guys making their NHL debuts -- Sam Morin and Mike Vecchione -- and for opposing goalies Keith Kinkaid and Steve Mason (on a contract drive as an impending unrestricted free agent and wanting to continue his very strong stretch drive), adrenaline and motivation weren't flowing freely.
4) On a similar note, the third period of the game against the Devils was an odd one from both sides. It seemed as if both Dave Hakstol and John Hynes' respective teams were playing that period rather conservatively as if try to take away at least one point from the game and then go for the second in overtime. No doubt, both coaches would deny that's what happened, but it sure looked like it at times.
5) The Flyers sent both Morin and Colin McDonald back to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Wednesday. McDonald scored a temporary go-ahead goal in the third period and Morin got the primary assist but the Phantoms were unable to nail down the game and settled for one point in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Hershey Bears. The Phantoms are still not guaranteed a playoff spot yet despite being in second place in the Atlantic Division but they cut their magic number to 5 with the point in regulation.
6) Tomorrow's blog will discuss the Flyers' goaltending rotation for the final weekend of the season and the bigger picture of the organization trying to assess what it will do moving forward especially if Mason is not re-signed (which still seems likely despite his very strong play over his last 16 starts).
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TRIBUTES TO ILKKA SINISALO FROM TEAMMATES AND FRIENDS
"Ilkka had a certain way and quality about him. Kind, polite and considerate of others. A genuinely nice person. He will certainly be missed by all that knew him. My prayers to he and his family." -- MARK HOWE
"So sorry to hear about Ilkka's passing. Just saw him last year at the Flyers golf tournament for the first time since we played together. He was without question one of the funniest guys I ever played with. Not only was he an underrated player but his humor was priceless. May he rest in peace." -- TIM KERR
"I remember that Ilkka scored his first goal for the Flyers on a penalty shot. He was a great team leader, quiet with a sense of humor. He was funny with his remarks. He was a pure goal scorer with great speed. He helped our powerplay and was also a great two- way player." -- BRIAN PROPP
"The 1970s teams, as Fred Shero prophesied, have walked together forever. In my mind, so do our teams from [the 1980s] era. But so have the teams from our [1980s] era. We had a bond from the experiences we shared together and from the success of our teams. Ilkka was a valuable part of those teams, and a great person, too. We will all miss him." -- DAVE POULIN
“Ilkka was a true friend and loyal member of the Flyers. He gave a great deal of his time, effort and talents to the organization in several capacities as a player and long-time scout to bring this franchise success on and off the ice. Most important to all that knew him, he was a great person, a loving husband, father and grandfather. His presence and friendship will be deeply missed by all that knew him. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife of over 35 years, Carina, his sons Niklas and Tomas, as well as Tomas’ wife, Maija and their children Peter and Matilda.… -- PAUL HOLMGREN, official statement from Flyers.
“Ilkka was a very good player, a great teammate, but most importantly an outstanding person and a terrific friend to us all. We’ve all had the pleasure to work with him for many years and he will be missed," RON HEXTALL, official statement from Flyers.
"Ilkka went out of is way to help me adjust to life in Philly. The nicest guy and gentleman. I lived in his apartment and he set it all up for a young clueless kid from Finland. May he rest in peace." -- JANNE NIINIMAA (Flyers player, 1996 to 1998)
"I am very sad to hear of Ilkka's passing. I don't have any specific story or memory, but just of many scouting trips together, stories and laughs over a few beers after the games." -- JARMO KEKALAINEN (Columbus Blue Jackets' general manager)