Quick Hits: March 26, 2021
1) Heading into Thursday, the last time the Flyers played the New York Rangers, Philly was on the receiving end of a 9-0 humiliation at Madison Square Garden. Last night at the Wells Fargo Center, the Flyers fell into a 6-0 crater by early in the second period on their way to an 8-3 loss. For the second time in as many meetings, Mika Zibanejad torched the Flyers for a natural hat trick and six points overall. Defenseman Adam Fox collected five assists. Claude Giroux (8th), Kevin Hayed (PPG, 10th) and Sean Couturier (PPG, 9th) scored for the Flyers. For all the gory details, see the Postgame 5 on the Flyers official website.
2) The NHL has fined Flyers defenseman Sam Morin $3,017.24, related to his late third-period beatdown of New York's Brendan Lemieux. The fine is for unsportsmanlike conduct.
3) Later today, Brian Smith and I will be interviewing Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr for the next edition of Prospect Pipeline on the Flyers Broadcast Network. We will do a comprehensive series of Flyers prospect updates -- Phantoms, NCAA, CHL and Europe -- and also discuss the challenges related to scouting for the 2021 NHL Draft.
4) The Lehigh Valley Phantoms return to action tonight. They will be on the road to take on the Binghamton Devils at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. Alex Lyon is slated to start in goal for the Phantoms.
5) Flyers collegiate hockey prospects Cam York (Michigan), Jay O'Brien (Boston University), Noah Cates (Minnesota Duluth), Gavin Hain (tournament favorite North Dakota), Bryce Brodzinski (Minnesota) and Jack St. Ivany (Boston College) will all be participating in the NCAA's Frozen Four tournament.
Tonight, York and the Wolverines will take on the Cates brothers and Minnesota Duluth in the NCAA Midwest Regional Semifinal in Fargo, ND. Hain and the North Dakota Fighting Hawks will play massive underdog American International in Fargo.
On Saturday, O'Brien's BU Terriers will play against St. Cloud Sate in the NCAA Northeast Regional Semifinal game in Albany, NY. The same day, St. Ivany and the BC Eagles play Notre Dame in Albany. Brodzinski and the the Minnesota Golden Gophers drew Omaha on Saturday in the NCAA West Regional Semifinal in Loveland, CO.
Flyers college prospects Bobby Brink (Denver) and Ronnie Attard (Western Michigan) are done for the season.