FLYERS CHL PROSPECT PLAYOFF UPDATES
* QMJHL: The Rimouski Oceanic advanced to the finals as they completed a four-game sweep of the defending champion Val-d'Or Foreurs with a 6-0 blowout on Wednesday night. Flyers 2013 first-round pick Samuel Morin earned a power play assist on Rimouski's fifth goal and was plus-three at even strength with a slashing minor taken at the expiration of the second period. Flyers 2014 Nicolas Aube-Kubel had five shots on goal (by far his best output of the series) but was once again blanked from the scoresheet to finish the series with one point in four games. Rimouski will play the Quebec Remparts in the President's Cup finals. Quebec is the host team for the Memorial Cup which means that Rimouski will also participate in the CHL championship tournament regardless of the outcome of the QMJHL finals. The President's Cup final schedule has yet to be announced.
* WHL: The Calgary Hitmen fell into a three games to one hole in their semifinal series with a Brandon Wheat Kings after suffering an 8-3 blowout loss on home ice on Wednesday. Flyers 2014 first-round pick Travis Sanheim managed a pair of assists (one even strength, one power play) for the losing side and was even (plus-one, minus-one) at five-on-five play. Teammate and Flyers 2014 sixth-round pick Radel Fazleev scored a power play goal that Sanheim assisted but finished the game at minus-three at even strength (minus-five through four games). Game Five will be held in Brandon on Friday at 9:30 p.m. EDT.
* WHL: The Kelowna Rockets tied their semifinal series with the Portland Winterhawks at two games apiece with a 3-2 road win on Wednesday. Flyers 2013 third-round pick Tyrell Goulbourne's first goal of the playoffs -- a mid-second period power play goal -- proved to be the game winner. Game Five will be held in Kelowna on Friday night at 10:00 p.m. EDT.
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WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: CANADA DOUBLES UP AUSTRIA IN PRE-TOURNEY GAME
The 2015 IIHF World Championships officially get underway on Friday but teams have been playng pre-tourney friendlies. On Thursday, Team Canada downed Austria by a 4-2 count in Vienna. Flyers center Claude Giroux had a goal and an assist, as did linemate Tyler Ennis (Buffalo Sabres).
Austria held a 2-1 lead at the first intermission, courtesy of a pair of goals by Raphael Herburger (Biel, Swiss NLA). Flyers forward Michael Raffl assisted on the second tally. Thereafter, second period goals by Ennis and non-roster player Jamie Fraser (Vienna Capitals, EBEL) and a third period empty netter by Matt Duchene (Colorado Avalanche) swung the game in Canada's favor.
Flyers forwards Brayden Schenn and Sean Couturier also suited up for Team Canada against Austria. Neither player figured in the scoring for head coach Todd McLellan's team.
Canada's World Championship schedule officially opens on Friday in Prague with a game against Latvia at 10:15 a.m. EDT. Austria opens in Prague on Saturday with a 6:15 a.m. EDT game against Flyers defenseman Mark Streit and the rest of Team Switzerland.