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Quick Hits: Provorov, Niskanen, Giroux, PK, Alumni and More

July 30, 2020, 7:39 AM ET [167 Comments]
Bill Meltzer
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • RSSArchiveCONTACT
1) Thursday is a complete day-off for the Flyers in the Bubble in Toronto. Practice resumes on Friday, as the team prepares for Sunday's round-robin opener against the Boston Bruins. For the most part, head coach Alain Vigneault and the players were pleased with the team's 3-2 overtime win against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
2) The Flyers practiced on Wednesday with the same line combinations featured in the game against the Penguins (and also in last Saturday's final practice in Voorhees before the team left the next day for Toronto).

Vigneault said after Wednesday's practice that he plans to make some tweaks to the combinations on Friday. The coach also pledged to tell the media after each practice what the primary combos were that day. This is very helpful for those who cover the team.

Since the line rush combinations would be plain-sight information were the team practicing outside the Bubble, it makes sense to not make a big deal of trying to keep that a secret within the Bubble. Of course, lines often change within a game, anyway.

3) With an off-day on the other side of it, Vigneault said that Wednesday's practice pushed the pace and emphasized competitiveness in the drills.

"We had a real good practice today. Intense. Fairly challenging as far as physicality. I’m expecting us after a day off tomorrow to have two good practices and get ready for Sunday’s game against Boston," Vigneault said.

Carter Hart will get the start in goal against the Bruins on Sunday, per Vigneault.

4) During the latter portion of training camp, the Flyers began to incorporate special teams work: a practice and a scrimmage focused on power play, and the final practice focused on penalty killing with all-situations players such as Sean Couturier, Ivan Provorov and Matt Niskanen playing on the PK side. In Tuesday's exhibition game, the team went 3-for-3 on the penalty kill, and looked strong in doing so. There was only one Flyers power play, but both units generated good looks at the net despite not scoring.

"Our PK definitely improved this year," Scott Laughton said on Wednesday.

"I think everybody saw that. The way our group has been from the get-go, at camp. Just being hard on pucks. Making it hard for other teams to enter our zone. I think we did a really good job of that and then getting the puck down the ice. We got to continue to get better at it and move forward. It starts with your goaltending and then we got to filter in. Just got to outwork the other team."

Added Ivan Provorov, "I agree with Laughts. I think from the very first day of camp, everyone’s been buying in. Everyone’s been sacrificing and doing the right things, doing the little things. Honestly, sometimes when we go on the PK, we know we’re going to kill that penalty and almost get momentum from the penalty kill, which is hard to do. We’re confident we’re going to be able to get the job done. That’s what we’ve been doing this year so far."

Vigneault said that he likes how both ends of special teams are trending as the round robin approaches. He added, however, that it is still very much a work in progress.

"We have spent a lot of time lately on our special teams, power play and penalty killing. Every game is different. There are some games where you are going to get one. There are some games where you are going to get more. It has to make a difference. I thought yesterday even though we only had the one, it did make a difference. It gave us some momentum," the head coach said.

"Our penalty killing last night against one of the better teams in the NHL was very effective. It’s a start. We talked today to our group about the need to get better. We’ve gone through the different phases. That first phase in Philly, and then arriving here in Toronto and playing that exhibition game. I thought for the most part, it was what I expected. I thought the intensity was good. I believe the execution will get better. The game in conditioning will get better. We have three important games in from of us. We’re going to play them obviously to win, but also to prepare our team for that first real playoff game. Still a lot of work ahead of us. We’re going to make some decisions that are going to need to be made. These next three games are going to help us make those decisions."

5) Recently, NHL.com's David Satriano ranked the top 20 centers, wingers, and defensemen in the NHL. He ranked Selke Trophy finalist Sean Couturier 18th among. He ranked Claude Giroux 18th among wingers. Meanwhile, NBC Sports did not even include Giroux on its list of 10 veteran NHLers without a Stanley Cup ring to root for during the playoffs. They did include Ilya Kovalchuk, a player who was so driven to win a Stanley Cup that he abandoned the New Jersey Devils one year after going to the 2012 Cup Final in order to go the KHL for five years. Since his return to the NHL, he's played mostly mediocre hockey the last two seasons.

Satriano omitted Ivan Provorov from his defenseman list. The player himself shrugged it off when asked about it during Wednesday's media availability.

"I've seen the list," Provorov said. "It is what it is. It doesn’t really bother me. I don’t play the game of hockey for making some list. I play the game because I love it and I want to win. I love spending time with my teammates, on and off the ice. That’s the reason I’m playing the game of hockey. I want to get better. I try to get better with every practice, every game and every season. If someone didn’t put me on a list, it doesn’t bother me at all."

Provorov's defense partner, Matt Niskanen said he feels the Russian blueliner has gotten better and better over the last year.

"Confident with the puck, smooth skating, strong in the corners. He seems like he’s got his feel for the game. It seems like that never left. I thought he was aggressive up the ice. He jumped in a few times and tried to make something happen. Moved the puck efficiently. Can defend against the best players. The kid’s a stud. I thought he was really good. Hopefully he keeps getting better the way he has all year. The old fart next to him will try to keep up," Niskanen said.

6) Vigneault said after Tuesday's exhibition that the teams that win in the playoffs, especially in the early phases while everyone is still trying to fully recover their A-game level execution, are the ones who keep things simple. The Athletic's Charlie O'Connor asked Niskanen to explain exactly what that means.

"It’s mostly puck support stuff, the types of plays we are looking to make. A little bit more North-South hockey. More efficient. You can play the territory game, I think is more beneficial for our team right now. Just until we get back in the groove, then you can gradually make more passing plays heading up the ice. Just to get everybody’s timing, rhythm and feel for the game back. It benefits everybody the more time we spend in their zone and how quickly and efficiently you get there. That’s probably the gist of it," Niskanen said.

Niskanen felt that there are certain advantages to playing the games in an empty Scotiabank Arena. Specifically, there are benefits in terms of on-ice communications.

"I think you will see some cleaner breakouts. As a defenseman, this is a dream. When the energy would get amped, especially in the playoffs like it normally would, sometimes you can’t hear your partner’s calls, which direction to go or what plays are available. You are kind of winging it on your own because you just can’t hear because of the energy in the building," Niskanen said.

"It felt like there was almost an echo out there yesterday afternoon. Yelling to Provy that he had time or turn it up quick. He had to hear me because I’m used to screaming over a crowd. That’s probably one area that jumps out to me. Our zone exits, our breakouts, our communication will be a little easier without the crowd noise."

7) Last night, the Flyers Alumni held a virtual wine tasting event, called "A Night Out... at Home." The event was a fundraiser for Snider Hockey. Participating Alumni included Chris Pronger, Danny Briere, Scott Hartnell, Bill Clement, Bob "the Hound" Kelly, and Brad Marsh. Steve Coates hosted a pair of Coatesy's Corner segments (one with Kelly, one with Hartnell) and Lou Nolan served as the emcee. Professional sommelier Jimmy Quayle selected the wines and gave tips on what wines to select or avoid based on their taste preferences.


8) July 30 Flyers Alumni birthdays: Bruce Hoffort (1966), Danny Markov (1976).
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