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Quick Hits: Rubtsov, Odjick, Doc and More |
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Quick Hits: October 20, 2020
1) Flyers 2016 first-round pick German Rubtsov, currently on loan to KHL team HC Sochi, returned to the lineup on Monday after a 20-day, injury-related absence. He started on the fourth line in a 2-0 loss to Salavat Yulaev Ufa, skating 8:42 across 12 shifts (one blocked shot, one credited hit, 0-for-4 on faceoffs, zero shots on goal). Former Phantoms/Flyers center Mikhail Vorobyev plays for Ufa. In Monday's game, Vorobyev did not record a point in 12:36 of ice time but went 5-for-7 on faceoffs.
2) Longtime NHL enforcer Gino Odjick, who briefly played for the Flyers in the latter part of 1999-2000 and the early portion of 2000-01 (four goals, eight points, 38 penalty minutes in 30 games), was recently diagnosed with a recurrence of amyloidosis; a rare disease that attacks the heart and internai organs. Six years ago, the condition nearly took his life but Odjick overcame an initially bleak diagnosis and achieved remission.
The condition has returned after a long period of remission. Fortunately, it appears that doctors detected it in the early stages this time, and the prognosis appears to be much more optimistic this time around. He obtains treatment once a week in an Ottawa hospital.
Via the Vancouver Canucks' Alumni Association, Odjick released a statement updating people on his condition and thanking people for the outpouring of love and support he has received:
3) Later today on the Flyers official website, we will have an article devoted to the Philadelphia years of Hall of Fame broadcaster Mike Emrick's career. There are stories told by Bill Clement, Jim Jackson, HockeyBuzz's Bruce "Scoop" Cooper and excerpts from the 2007 interview I did with Doc for an NHL.com article on some of the legendary broadcasting voices of hockey. Emrick, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame (Foster Hewitt Award), the United States Hockey Hall of Fame and a Lester Patrick Award winner for service to the sport in the United States, announced his retirement yesterday.
4) Today in Flyers History: October 20, 1977
The Spectrum was a house of horrors over the years for the Pittsburgh Penguins. At one point, the Penguins went winless in 42 straight games in Philadelphia (0-39 with three ties), spanning Feb. 7, 1974 to Feb. 2, 1989. Many of the Flyers' wins at home against Pittsburgh during these years were lopsided thrashings, including a 13-4 mauling on March 22, 1984 that was so non-competitive that the Flyers' players stopped raising their sticks to celebrate goals during a seven-tally third period and simply skated back to center ice.
At least Pittsburgh got on the board, including three times in the second period, in that game. Back on Oct. 20, 1977, the Flyers flayed the Penguins to the tune of 11-0, scoring four times in the first period, three in the second, and four more times in the third. Bernie Parent cruised to one of the easiest shutouts of his NHL career, seeing just 16 shots over the opening 55 minutes and 20 in all.
At the other end of the ice, former Flyers goalie Dunc Wilson was left in the net the entire game by coach Johnny Wilson to absorb 11 goals on 54 shots. The Flyers led for 59:51 of the game as Ross Lonsberry opened the scoring just nine seconds after the opening faceoff. Team captain Bobby Clarke enjoyed a four-point game (1G, 3A), Bill Barber scored twice, Reggie Leach had a goal and an assist and Bob "the Hound" Kelly, who started on left wing on Clarke's line that night, compiled a goal and two assists.
At one juncture of the game, rugged young Flyers center Mel Bridgman (who, earlier, exchanged shoves and gloved face-washes with Penguins defenseman Colin Campbell), challenged defenseman Ben Paradise to drop the gloves. The veteran declined. Instead, a few minutes later, Bridgman scored the seventh Philadelphia goal. Shots were 21-4 in the Flyers' favor after the first period, and 37-14 through two periods.
Over the course of the Flyers' epic undefeated home streak against the Penguins, there were eight games in which the Flyers scored seven or more goals. The run included three games in which the Flyers scored double-digit goals. The other came on March 10, 1985 in an 11-4 blowout that saw rookie Todd Bergen collect a goal and two assists for Mike Keenan's club.
5) Best wishes go out to longtime Flyers director game presentation, Anthony Gioia, who is leaving the organization after being with the Flyers since the 2007-08 season. Some of the stuff that the Flyers introduced during his lengthy tenure, including the holiday light show and the Eric Lindros jersey retirement night were nothing short of spectacular. On a personal note, I always enjoyed working with Anthony and his staff. I contributed research and first-draft copy for 50th Anniversary Season features, Fast Facts about the Flyers versus that night's opponent and trivia questions. It's always been a thrill seeing the end product up on the big screen.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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