QUICK HITS: MARCH 31, 2018
1) The Flyers held a late morning practice on Saturday at the Skate Zone in Voorhees, NJ. On Sunday afternoon, the now-rested Flyers (three nights off, two days without practice since Wednesday's grueling 2-1 win Colorado) will host the Boston Bruins at the Wells Fargo Center. The Bruins host the Florida Panthers on Saturday afternoon. A Boston regulation win would trim to 5 the Flyers' magic number to clinch a playoff spot. From a Bruins' standpoint, a win on Saturday would enable them to re-take first place in the Atlantic Division from the idle Tampa Bay Lightning.
2) Per Flyers general manager Ron Hextall, Michal Neuvirth's latest lower-body injury is of the day-to-day variety. Alex Lyon has recalled again under emergency conditions (in other words, the Flyers do not yet have to expend one of their two remaining regular callups to have Lyon on the NHL roster). Brian Elliott is close to being ready to return from core muscle surgery.
3) The Phantoms earned a 2-0 home shutout win on Friday over the Providence Bruins. Dustin Tokarski stopped all 22 shots he faced to earn the win. Greg Carey broke a scoreless deadlock early in the 2nd period with his 29th goal of the season, assisted by Will O'Neill (12th assist) and Phil Varone (45th assist). T.J. Brennan (13th goal) added some insurance at 17:06 of the third period, assisted by team captain Colin McDonald (14th assist). With the win, the Phantoms have 95 points on the season; seven points ahead of the Wilkes Barre/ Scranton Penguins and 10 points ahead of Providence. The Phantoms have seven games remaining in the regular season while the Penguins and Bruins each have eight left.
4) The Phantoms (43-17-9) need to avoid a trap-game scenario on Saturday. Lehigh Valley hosts the woeful Belleville Senators ((26-38-5) at the PPL Center. The Bruins and Penguins clash head-to-head in Wilkes Barre.
5) Phantoms rookie defenseman Philippe Myers was in a walking boot on Friday, and appears likely to miss significant time with a foot injury. Some better news: third-year defenseman Samuel Morin, out since getting reinjured in the Jan. 20 outdoor game in Hershey, has finally rejoined the Phantoms at practice and appears to be closing in a return to the lineup. Nagging injuries, suspected but never confirmed to to be core muscle/ groin issues, have limited Morin to just 15 games with the Phantoms and two with the Flyers this season.
6) OHL Playoffs: Kitchener Rangers captain Connor Bunnaman, who had just one assist through the first four games of the playoffs, broke loose for two goals and an assist in the Rangers' 10-2 home blowout win over the Guelph Storm in Game Five on Friday night. Chosen second star of the game, Bunnaman also went 6-for-11 on faceoffs. The Rangers have a three games to two lead in the series, with a chance to close it out on Sunday in Guelph. Storm left winger Isaac Ratcliffe scored a goal in Game Five. For the series, he has seven points (four goals, three assists).
7) OHL Playoffs: Anthony Salinitri missed his third straight game with an upper body injury suspected to be a shoulder or collarbone issue. His Sarnia Sting club took a three games to two lead in their series with the Windsor Spitfires with a 4-2 home win on Friday. Game six is on Sunday in Windsor.
8) OHL Playoffs: Matthew Strome enjoyed an excellent first-round series, as his Hamilton Bulldogs team eliminated the Ottawa 67's in five games. On home ice for the clinching game on Friday, Strome took first-star honors with a goal, an assist, three shots and a +1 rating in a 4-1 win. For the series, Strome had 10 points (two goals, eight assists) was +7 in five games.
9) WHL Playoffs: Carter Hart stopped 28 of 31 shots as his Everett Silvertips team took a three games to one lead in their series with a 7-3 road win over the Seattle Thunderbirds on Friday. Hart denied 21 of 22 shots through the opening 40 minutes as the Silvertips took a 5-1 lead into the third period before a pair of early-period goals by Seattle temporarily cut the gap down to 5-3. Game Five is in Everett on Saturday.
10) QMJHL Playoffs: The Acadie-Bathurst Titan took a three games to two lead in their first-round series with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens with a 4-1 home win in Game Five on Friday. German Rubtsov did not record a point but had two shots on goal. He has one assist through the first five games of the series. Game Six is in Chicoutimi on Sunday.
11) QMJHL Playoffs: The Quebec Remparts sustained a 4-2 road loss to the Charlottetown Islanders on Friday night as Charlottetown knotted the series at two games apiece. Game Five is in Charlottetown on Saturday (this series has a 2-3-2 format) before shifting back to Quebec City on Monday. Pascal Laberge did not record a point in Game Four. He had one shot on goal. For the series, Laberge has four points (one goal, three assists), 2 PIM and is +2.
12) Happy 60th birthday wishes go out to Brad Marsh. To join Brad's Ides of Marsh team at the 2018 Toyota Flyers Charity Classic, click here. Brad is doing the 100km bike ride but you can sign up for any of the events and be part of the team and the after-party. The staggered starting times this year will enable everyone to finish at about the same time, regardless of event. For the second straight year, I will be a member of Brad's team, participating in the 5k run/walk.