What a Four Nations Faceoff Tournament that was right!!!! Welcome back your Philadelphia Flyers, and Flyers fans for the last 25 games of the season.
“We have played playoff hockey from game one because we have to,” Rocky Thompson said on Thursday. “There is never a lack of effort, or will, or desire to be better within our group, and that’s what makes us special. Maybe these additions will add to something that we were missing.”
“It’s big for me, not only to be a part of the tournament, but to play. Pretty fun, great experience for me. I’m confident where my game is right now,” Samuel Ersson said about playing in the Four Nations Faceoff Tournament, following practice on Thursday.
It’s great to hear that he is a confident netminder. That could become a good threat down the stretch for the orange and black.
Let’s remember what transpired before the break began: The Flyers won their finale, 3-2, before the break against their arch rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins. Andrei Kuzmenko finally got his visa situation rectified for the last game, but Jakob Pelletier did not. Pelletier wound us missing the last two weeks of the season, following the trade that sent him from Calgary to Philly.
Andrei Kuzmenko and Jakob Pelletier
Both Kuzmenko and Pelletier will play today against the Edmonton Oilers. They should know the Oilers well, as the Calgary Flames were in the same division as the Oilers. Flyers Associate Coach Rocky Thompson said that Kuzmenko will help the Power Play out, while another Flyers Associate Coach Brad Shaw said that Kuzmenko really stood out to him at practice on Wednesday.
Thompson said that Pelletier will be utilized on just the Penalty Kill to start, not the Power Play, “We’re not out of the playoffs,” Pelletier said of the Flyers. He also said that he will play each shift that he is given, like it’s his last.
Battered Bodies
Everyone appears to be healthy, to include Owen Tippett. Egor Zamula has been on the ice at practice, as well as, Ryan Poehling, both in regular jerseys. Shaw did say that he believed mostly everyone would play on Saturday, and that will exactly be the case. Poehling, Tippett, Zamula, Pelletier, and Kuzmenko all will play today.
For the record, both Poehling and Zamula are still on IR (Injured Reserve). They will officially come off of IR a few hours before game time, hence the reason no one was recalled from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Today should be an interesting game, against a juggernaut in the Oilers. Maybe the Flyers can catch a break and get a tired Connor McDavid, whom played in the Four Nations Faceoff Tournament.
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