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Quick Hits: Hlinka Gretzky Cup and More

August 12, 2018, 9:37 AM ET [6 Comments]
Bill Meltzer
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Quick Hits: August 12, 2018

1) Team Canada won the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup with a 6-2 victory over Sweden on Saturday in Edmonton. Canada actually trailed, 2-0, in the first period but led 3-2 by intermission and then pulled away. Two goals apiece by top 2020 Draft candidate Alexis Lafreniere (Rimouski Oceanic, QMJHL) and 2019 Draft-eligible right wing Sasha Mutala (Tri-City Americans, WHL) led the way for Canada. 2019-eligible center Kirby Dach (Saskatoon Blades, WHL) and 2019-eligible right wing Josh Williams (Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL) also scored for the Canadians. Highly regarded 2020-eligible Lucas Raymond (Frölunda J20, SuperElit) and 2020-eligible winger Alexander Holtz (Djurgården J20, SuperElit) scored for Sweden.

2) A four-goal third-period by Team USA wasn't quite enough as the Americans fell, 5-4, to Russia in a penalty-filled third place game at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup on Saturday. Russian forward Vasili Podkolzin (SKA-1946 St. Petersburg, MHL) racked up a hat trick to finish the tourney with eight goals. Team USA 2019 Draft-eligible forward Arthur Kaliyev (Hamilton Bulldogs, OHL), 2019 Draft-eligible center Nicholas Robertson (Peterborough Petes, OHL), 2019-eligible right winger Josh Nodler (USNTDP) and 2019-eligible John Farinacci (USNTDP) scored for the Americans in a wild third period that saw the teams combine for seven goals.

3) August 12 Flyers Alumni birthday: Author of the first playoff hat trick in Flyers franchise history, Rosaire Paiement was born on this day in 1945.

4) Today in Flyers History: On Aug. 12, 1999, the Flyers signed undrafted 20-year-old Ukrainian forward Ruslan Fedotenko, who had been toiling in the USHL for the Sioux City Musketeers the previous season.

"Rusty" went on to have two stints in the NHL with the Flyers, play 863 NHL regular season games, 108 Stanley Cup playoff games and was a valuable postseason contributor to Cup-winning Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh teams.

5) Kim Parent, the daughter of legendary Flyers goaltender Bernie Parent, has co-designed a series of t-shirts featuring Bernie (several different images), Danny Briere, Wayne Simmonds among various designs. Today, she and co-designer Jodi Smith will be on the Promenade in Cape May, NJ from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with shirts available for sale. Ten percent of the proceeds from all sales will be donated to the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation. The shirts are also available online. For more, click here.

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Quick Hits: August 11, 2018

1) It is rapidly getting to the time of summer when players increasingly start to come to the Skate Zone in Voorhees to prepare for training camp. There's a handful of Flyers and Phantoms players already there, and the numbers will greatly increase ahead of the start of camp.

Duplicating the same routine from last summer that set up his best pro season to date, Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere has spent the entire summer working out in Voorhees. Injury-rehabbing Flyers goalies Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth along with Phantoms goalies Alex Lyon and Anthony Stolarz are there as well, along with Phantoms forwards Cole Bardreau and Carsen Twarynski. James van Riemsdyk also gave the facilities a test drive when he was in town for his "reintroductory" press conference.

An upcoming article on the Flyers official website will look at the behind-the-scenes renovations that made the Flyers' training facility into one of the most state-of-the-art centers across the NHL. Back in March, the Flyers opened the normally off-limits training facilities to the media for a tour. Flyers prospects also make extensive use of the facilities during Development Camp in July and Rookie Camp in September.

2) Second-year left winger Oskar Lindblom is also slated to return to the area soon. Earlier this summer, he spent two-plus weeks in Voorhees, focusing on skating work with Flyers skating coach Slava Kouznetsov. Adding just a bit more quickness is the biggest key for Lindblom to translate his SHL and AHL success to the NHL level from the standpoint of getting to the scoring areas a bit more effectively. The two-way game and the offensive instincts are already there.

3) Preseason hockey is underway in Sweden's SHL and minor league Allsvenskan. Flyers defense prospects Linus Högberg (Växjö Lakers) and David Bernhardt (Djurgården) were in action over the last two days. Paired on the blueline with former Flyers prospect Jesper "Pit Bull" Pettersson, Bernhard scored a power play goal in a 3-0 win over minor league club Huddinge. Pettersson also chipped in a goal.

4) Courier Post Flyers beat writer Dave Isaac has the rundown of the annual Checking for Charity event taking place this weekend at the Skate Zone locations in Voorhees and Pennsaulken. Among the participants are Flyers 2018 first-round pick Joel Farabee, Phantoms defenseman T.J. Brennan, Phantoms rookie forward Twarynski and Northeastern goaltender Cayden Primeau. For additional information, visit the official Checking for Charity website.

5) August 11 Flyers Alumni birthday: Two-stint Flyers center Ken "the Rat" Linseman celebrates his 60th birthday.
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