Quick Hits: December 20, 2020
1) The pre-tournament games for the 2020-21 World Junior Championships get underway today in Edmonton. At 6 p.m. ET, Team USA will play Switzerland. At 9:30 p.m. ET, Finland will take on the Czech Republic. Both games will be televised live on NHL Network.
On the Flyers official website, we have a preview of the 2020-21 World Junior Championship with a focus on the three Flyers-affiliated participants (Cam York and Bobby Brink for Team USA and Emil Andrae for Sweden). For more, click here. Additionally, Jason Myrtetus interviewed York for Friday's edition of Flyers Daily on the Flyers Broadcast Network.
2) Flyers NCAA prospects: Saturday Results
* Minnesota Duluth dropped a 2-1 decision to North Dakota at Baxter Arena in Omaha on Saturday afternoon. Noah Cates scored the lone goal for Minnesota Duluth (5-2-2) while Gavin Hain had three shots on goal skating on the third line for North Dakota (6-2-1). Cates had two shots on goal.
* Playing without the services of Bobby Brink (who is with Team USA in Edmonton for the WJC), Denver erased deficits of 2-0 and 3-2 to skate to a 3-3 tie with Western Michigan on late Saturday afternoon. Flyers defense prospect Ronnie Attard scored his first goal of the season just 13 seconds after the start of the second period, giving WM a 2-0 lead.
3) The NHL Board of Governors is slated to vote on the tentative NHL/NHLPA return-to-play agreement on Sunday, along with the league's general managers. There still venue availability issues that have to be figured out with the Canadian government and some U.S. state/local governments, but the main terms of the agreement appears to be on the verge of being finalized. The NHL continues to target January 13 as the 56-game regular season start date, although it is still possible that the date could be rolled back. For a look at how the agreement would impact the Flyers, click here.
4) Related note: Per Pierre LeBrun, free agency will start on July 28, 2021.
5) Flyers Alumni 12 Days of Christmas: Day 9
As part of the Flyers Alumni’s 12 Days of Christmas Season Giving Program, Bob "the Hound" Kelly and Brad Marsh presented a check for $1,500 to Say It With Clay; a non-profit organization based in Collingswood, NJ.
Say It With Clay is devoted to helping both children and adults with a diverse array of special needs. The purpose of its program is to foster pride, success and motivation through the therapeutic use of clay. There is an emphasis on inclusiveness, peer-to-peer encouragement and freedom of expression in a supportive environment. The use of clay provides not only hands-on learning and therapy but a powerful alternative channel for communication; a key component of healing and well-being.
Say It With Clay assists both developmentally and economically disadvantaged individuals. Its therapeutic programs target the specific needs (e.g., grief, trauma, depression, anxiety, Alzheimer’s and dementia, cancer and other emotionally debilitating conditions) of both individuals and their families. The organization, which is part of the South Jersey Cultural Alliance, was founded by Abbie Kasoff, who has more than 25 years of experience working with the special needs community, school districts, human services organizations, and healthcare providers to meet the needs of those it serves.
“Bob Kelly suggested we include Say It With Clay, because they do amazing work with people with special needs,… said Marsh, whose wife is a teacher.
“They’ve helped instill a sense of pride and accomplishment in their participants. It impacts lives in much the same way that special needs hockey programs do, except its done through the use of clay. rather than sports. As with everyone, the wider the array of open avenues for special needs kids and grownups to discover what interests them and will benefit them. the better.…
6) Speaking of the 12 Days of Giving program, KidSport Saskatoon has created a video featuring Flyers Alumni center Garry Peters (1967-68 to 1970-71 seasons) talking about the benefits of KidSport and his longtime support of their organization. We featured KidSport Saskatoon on Day 5 of the 12 Days series. The Flyers Alumni donated $1,500 to the organization.
Garry Peters, an original member of the Philadelphia Flyers team and a passionate KidSport supporter, is challenging NHL fans across Saskatchewan to follow the @FlyersAlumni and Give the #GiftofSport this holiday season.
— KidSport Sask (@KidSportSK) December 19, 2020
Donate today👇https://t.co/CPJCpezg1b pic.twitter.com/iCWchAkno6
7) Today in Flyers History: December 20
1973: There's a goal-scoring bonanza at the Spectrum as the Flyers crush the Vancouver Canucks by a 9-3 count. Forward Bill Clement leads the charge with two goals and an assist, while Bobby Clarke and Ross Lonsberry also tally twice apiece. The game features a bench-clearing brawl in the second period that sees backup goaltender Bobby Taylor ejected from the game on a game misconduct. Two of the Canucks' three goals are scored by future Flyers defenseman Bob Dailey. 1980: Two goals by Reggie Leach spark the Flyers to a 5-2 road win in Washington after Philly trailed 2-0 at the first intermission. The second Caps goal is scored by longtime Flyers forward Bob "the Hound" Kelly. Rookie forward Tim Kerr scores his eight career goal, while Philly also gets goals from Tommy "T.J." Gorence and Bob Dailey. Leach's second goal is a third-period shorthander that gives Philly a stranglehold on the game. 1984: Vezina Trophy winning goaltender Pelle Lindbergh does not see many shots or have one of his best games but the Flyers win comfortably in an 8-4 blowout of the New Jersey Devils at the Spectrum.Twelve different Flyers register at least one point in this game, led by two goals apiece by Rick Tocchet and Ilkka Sinisalo as well as three-point nights (one goal, two assists apiece) for defenseman Thomas Eriksson and right winger Tim Kerr. 1986: Six different Flyers score goals to build a 6-2 road lead over the Pittsburgh Penguins before Philly holds off a furious charge by the Pens in the third period to leave the Igloo with a 6-4 win. Defense partners Brad McCrimmon and Mark Howe each tally goals for Philly, along with forwards Tim Kerr (power play), Pelle Eklund, Dave Poulin (shorthanded) and Murray Craven. Ilkka Sinisalo racks up three assists. Mario Lemieux has a goal and an assist for Pittsburgh.
1990: The Flyers saw three separate one-goal leads slip away after getting goals from enforcer Craig Berube (3rd of the season), second-year NHLer Mike Ricci (10th) and Czech rookie Martin Hostak (2nd). The game ended in a 3-3 tie. Ron Hextall saw only one shot in overtime, finishing with 29 saves.
1997: Power play goals by Rod Brind'Amour and Eric Lindros were all the team needed as they held the visiting Florida Panthers to 14 shots and skated off with a 2-0 victory. Garth Snow earned the shutout and third-star honors. For his Flyers career, Snow recorded three shutouts. This game marked the final one before he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks for goalie Sean Burke on March 4, 1998. 2001: The Flyers hold off the visiting Dallas Stars, 2-1, courtesy of a 29-save performance by Brian Boucher. A first period goal by Marty Murray and a mid-game tally by Keith Primeau are just enough offense to win. 2008: Scott Hartnell compiles a hat trick and Jeff Carter (four-point game) scores twice as the Flyers pummel the visiting Washington Capitals by a 7-1 count. Joffrey Lupul has a three-point game (one goal, two assists). Antero Niitttymaki stops 47 of 48 shots as the Flyers get outshot 25-6 in the first period and 14-7 in the second. 2014: The Flyers started a road trip with a 7-4 over the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Flyers turned the match into a semi-blowout after Toronto scored the game's first two goals in the first period. The Leafs had come into the game with a 14-0-0 record when scoring first. Within a dizzying 26-second span, Toronto answered back after the Flyers tied the game only for the Flyers to just as quickly re-tie the game at 3-3. In the second period, the Flyers took a 4-3 lead on a lucky bounce of the puck off the end boards and then off Toronto goaltender Jonathan Bernier (34 saves on 41 shots) into the net. Philly went on to score three more times to build a 7-3 lead before Toronto's Peter Holland sneaked a shot home to make the Leafs' final deficit three goals. Ten different Flyers registered at least one point. Claude Giroux led the way with two goals and two assists, while NHL leading scorer Jakub Voracek racked up four assists. Philly got a goal and an assist apiece from Sean Couturier and Michael Raffl, while Matt Read had two assists. Forward R.J. Umberger and defenseman Nicklas Grossmann -- scoring on the aforementioned bank shot -- notched one goal apiece. In the third period, rookie Scott Laughton scored his second NHL goal and first road tally for the Flyers. 8) Happy 70th birthday wishes go out to Bill Clement. A member of both Flyers Stanley Cup championship teams, Clement was born on Dec. 20, 1950, in Thurso, Quebec. Drafted by the Flyers in the second round (18th overall) of the 1970 NHL Draft, Clement was a speedy two-way forward.
For the Flyers portion of his playing career, Clement played in 229 regular season games, recording 53 goals, 52 assists, 105 points and 166 penalty minutes. He appeared in 18 playoff games scoring two goals - including one of the most famous tallies in franchise history.
Clement also holds the distinction of attempting the first penalty shot in Flyers' franchise history: an unsuccessful attempt against the Detroit Red Wings' Jim Rutherford at the Spectrum on March 7, 1974.
In the mid-1970s, Clement was a young defensive-minded role player on the Broad Street Bullies. He had a strong 1974-75 season, chipping in 21 goals and 37 points in 68 regular season games in addition to Prior to the team announcing an already-completed trade (unbeknownst both to Clement and the public) to the Washington Capitals, Clement scored the insurance breakaway goal in the third period of Game Six of the Flyers' Stanley Cup-clinching 2-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres.
On June 4, 1975, the trade became official: The Flyers received the first overall pick of the 1975 NHL Draft from the Capitals in exchange for Clement, the Flyers 1975 first-round pick (Alex Forsythe) and Don McLean. The Flyers used the pick on rugged two-way center Mel Bridgman.
Clement went on to enjoy a productive NHL playing career with the Capitals and Flames after leaving the Flyers. He played in two NHL All-Star Games He later began a prolific broadcasting career on both the local and national levels -- including broadcasting at the Olympics, many years working for ESPN and two stints as a Flyers color analyst. He also became a highly successful and much-sought public speaker.