FLYERS AT 2013 IIHF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: MONDAY UPDATES
SUNDAY RECAP
* In their first game at the World Championships, Team Canada had to scramble to recover from a bad first period against Denmark. The Canadians weren't quite as fortunate against Switzerland yesterday, settling for one point in a 3-2 shootout loss.
Philadelphia defenseman
Luke Schenn led all players on Team Canada with 22:58 of ice time (defense partner Brian Campbell skated 22:25). Schenn even made an offensive contribution for his team. Making a rare pinch deep into Swiss territory, Schenn made a centering pass to Andrew Ladd that knotted the score at 1-1 midway through regulation. The lone noticeable gaffe that Schenn made in the game was a bad giveaway in the first period that led to a 2-on-1 counterattack. Goalie Mike Smith made the save.
Flyers forward
Matt Read scored a third-period goal to give the Canadians a short-lived 2-1 lead. On a sharp-angle shot from the right side, Read somehow found a hole on the short side against Swiss goaltender Martin Gerber. In this game, Read started out on the fourth line (along with Ryan O'Reilly and Jeff Skinner) but ended up skating 24 shifts and 17:04 of ice time.
Yesterday's game was not one that
Claude Giroux would like to remember. It was his mistake -- getting a little too fancy near the offensive blueline and turning the puck over for a 2-on-1 counter -- that led directly to Switzerland's first goal. Giroux also missed the net or got blocked on several shot attempts, finishing the game with one shot on net. He failed to convert his opportunity in the nine-round shootout that saw only Matt Duchene score for Canada while Reto Suri scored twice for the Swiss. Giroux went 9-for-18 on faceoffs and skated a total of 27 shifts and 21:44 of ice time. He remained on the top line with Steven Stamkos and Ladd.
Fellow Flyers forward
Wayne Simmonds was barely noticeable in the early part of the game but got better and better as the game progressed. He was easily one of Canada's most effective forwards in the third period. Skating on a line with Eric and Jordan Staal, Simmonds skated 17 shifts for 13:40 of ice time. He finished with three shots on goal.
*
Ilya Bryzgalov had the day off yesterday after recording a 15-save shutout against Latvia on Saturday. Colorado Avalanche netminder Semyon Varlamov got the start and victory in Russia's 4-1 win over Germany. Phantoms forward
Marcel Noebels, who was used sparingly on Germany's fourth line in its opening game, was a healthy scratch yesterday.
*
Oliver Lauridsen and Team Denmark have battled hard in their two games to date but have nothing to show for it. After throwing a scare into Canada on Saturday, the Danes took on archrival Norway yesterday. Norway prevailed, 3-2, in a chippy affair that saw Denmark rally back from a 2-0 deficit in the third period only for former Flyers forward Patrick Thoresen to win the game for the Norwegians in the final three minutes.
Lauridsen, who played over 20 minutes against Canada, skated 17:21 yesterday. He was paired with Dallas Stars defenseman Philip Larsen. As the physical, stay-at-home half of the pairing, Lauridsen got involved in quite a few scrums but managed to stay out of the penalty box. He finished the game at minus-one, as he was out for Mats Trygg's goal early in the first period.
* Phantoms goalie
Cal Heeter is unlikely to dress in a game in the tournament, barring injury to first-string goaltender Ben Bishop or backup John Gibson. Heeter was a healthy scratch yesterday in Team USA's 4-1 win over Latvia.
MONDAY'S GAMES (TIMES IN EDT)
9:15 AM: Germany (Noebels) vs. Slovakia
10:15 AM: Czech Republic (Jakub Voracek) vs. Switzerland
2:15 PM: Sweden (Erik Gustafsson) vs. Belarus
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HOBEY BAKER FINALIST CHUBAK SIGNED TO PHANTOMS
Yesterday, I received confirmation from
Chris Pryor, the Flyers director of hockey operations, that the organization has signed goaltender
Carsen Chubak to a minor-league contract to play for the AHL's Adirondack Phantoms next season. Because the deal is a minor-league contract and not an NHL entry-level contract, Chubak is ineligible to play for the Flyers.
Chubak, 24, was one of college hockey's better comeback stories this year. The junior goaltender entered the season with just 10 games of collegiate experience under his belt. As a freshman, he sustained a serious knee injury that required reconstructive surgery. As a sophomore he underwent hip surgery. This year, the Niagara University Purple Eagles netminder was finally healthy and was one of the best collegiate goaltenders anywhere in the NCAA.
The native of Prince Albert, Sask., led the country with six shutouts. For the season, he posted a 23-7-5 record, 1.91 goals against average and a .938 save percentage.
Apart from his injury history, the main concern about Chubak is his lack of size. In an era in which goalies standing 6-foot-4 and taller have become highly desired, the 5-foot-11, 170-pound Chubak has to significantly outplay bigger counterparts to get noticed. He is very quick moving laterally and has a good glovehand.
Next season, Chubak is likely to compete with Cal Heeter for playing time in Adirondack. Heeter will be penciled in as the primary starter but things can change. It seems unlikely that veterans Scott Munroe or Brian Boucher will return to the Phantoms next season.
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