QUICK HITS: APRIL 19, 2017
1) Yesterday outside the Wells Fargo Center, the Flyers announced plans for the first Flyers Charities Classic on July 16, 2017. The event encompasses a 5k run or walk a 10-mile family bike ride as well as 50k and 100k bike rides.
The Flyers Charities Classic is a joint effort between the Flyers Alumni Association, Flyers Charities and g4 Productions with cooperation from the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department and the Philadelphia Police Department. Proceeds benefit the charities and community organizations supported by the Flyers Alumni Association and Flyers Charities.
A host of Flyers Alumni are slated to participate in the races as well as captaining special teams that fans can join. Subject to change, participating Alumni include Bob Clarke, Paul Holmgren, Bob Kelly, Ian Laperriere, Brad Marsh, Joe Watson, Todd Fedoruk, Doug Crossman, and more,
The new event was largely Marsh's brainchild. A cycling enthusiast who once bicycled across Canada and frequently participates in long-distance bicycling events, the Flyers Alumni Association president and Flyers director community development has been working on putting together a large-scale bicycling event involving Flyers Alumni. The idea grew and was combined with the established Flyers Charities 5K, which had been held in the fall for each of the last five years.
For additional information and registration details, visit https://www.nhl.com/flyers/community/flyers-charity-classic.
2) The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies will not repeat as QMJHL champions. On Tuesday, the team suffered a 4-3 voertime loss in game seven of their second-round playoff series with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens. Playing in the likely final game of his junior hockey career, Flyers defense prospect Phillipe Myers did not have his best night (minus-four, one shot attempt, three credited hits). He finished the playoffs with nine points (three power play goals, six assists, 44 shots on goal) and a minus-two rating.
Myers will be joining the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for the Calder Cup playoffs on an Amateur Try-Out (ATO) arrangement. His National Hockey League entry level deal will start next season.
With Flyers 2016 first-round pick German Rubtsov (hand surgery) unavailable to Chicoutimi for the rest of the playoff, the lone remaining Flyers prospect still playing in the QMJHL postseason is Saint John Sea Dogs center Samuel Dove-McFalls. The shutdown center, who posted 17 goals, 53 points and a plus-17 rating in 65 regular season games, has chipped in one goal and three points in the playoffs to date. Game One of the Sea Dogs vs. Sagueneens semifinal series is on Friday.
3) In the Swedish Hockey League finals, Brynà¤s IF Gà¤vle knotted their series against favored HV71 Jönköping at one game apiece with a 3-2 overtime home win in Game 2. Flyers goaltending prospect Felix Sandström saw just 16 shots for the game, stopping 14. Oskar Lindblom was held off the scoresheet.
4) Longtime NHL star Bobby Carpenter never played for the Flyers during his 1,178-game NHL career nor subsequently worked in the organization in his days as an NHL assistant coach, AHL head and assistant coach and scout. However, he would have easily fit right in with the Flyers if his career had brought him to Philadelphia.
In February of this year, "Carpy" was one of the guest players for the Flyers Alumni team throughout its three-city tour of Russia. While in St. Petersburg, he told the group about his participation plans for the 2017 Boston Marathon. Not only would he be competing in the event, he would do while pushing Denna Laing's wheelchair. The 25-year-old Laing, playing for the NWHL's Boston Pride, sustained a severe spinal cord injury in an on-ice accident last year.
On April 17, Carpenter and Laing finished the Boston Marathon together 4:32:30. Congratulations go out to both Carpy and Denna.
INSPIRATIONAL!
— Scott Sullivan (@SullyBunz) April 17, 2017
Former #Bruins Bobby Carpenter and former @TheBostonPride player Denna Laing cross #BostonMarathon finish line#wbz @dlaing14 pic.twitter.com/M15PiTD1vy