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Quick Hits: Back to Work, Hart, Friday Night Fights, Ghost SPCA Event

March 5, 2019, 7:59 AM ET [335 Comments]
Bill Meltzer
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Quick Hits: March 5, 2019

1) After a total off-day on Monday following three games in less than four nights, the Flyers will hold an 11 a.m. ET practice today at the Skate Zone in Voorhees. The team has a relatively light schedule this week in terms of volume, with a home game on Wednesday against the Washington Capitals and a rematch with the Islanders in Uniondale on Saturday.

Over their last 23 games, the Flyers have gone 17-4-2. They will need to maintain that sort of torrid pace the rest of the way. A record of 12-3-1 (25 points) over the remainder of the schedule would get the Flyers to 97 points and, at least historically, would likely be enough to get into the postseason.

No two ways about it: The Flyers remaining 16-game schedule is very challenging. The docket includes three games with Washington, two games with the Islanders, Toronto and Carolina plus one home meeting with Montreal and one road game apiece in Dallas and St. Louis. The most treacherous stretch (March 14-17) sees the Flyers host Washington, go on the road to play a rested Toronto team the next night and then conclude the three-in-four gauntlet with a Sunday game in Pittsburgh.

For an examination of the Flyers' outlook for the stretch drive and some breakdowns of players who have been stepping up in the second half, click here.

2) With the off-day on Monday, there were no updates on injured Flyers Jakub Voracek (lower-body, underwent MRI on Sunday), Nolan Patrick (ear laceration) or Carter Hart (ankle). Hart skated on his own, along with Michal Neuvirth, starting last Wednesday but was not on the road trip and had not reps in net through the weekend. Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher said last Monday that the team would wait until Hart is 100 percent to start ramping him up again at practice in preparation of playing again.

3) The Flyers have recalled right winger Justin Bailey from the Phantoms. There is no indication that it is an emergency call-up so the team now has one (non-emergency) recall left this season.

4) One would assume that Flyers interim head coach Scott Gordon will name Brian Elliott as the starting goaltender for Wednesday's game against the Capitals. Elliott was very strong in net in Sunday's 4-1 win over the Islanders. However, recent acquisition Cam Talbot (one start to date) needs work as well. Fletcher said at his post trade deadline news conference that he felt there was value in having Talbot around the team now even though he hasn't been starting games. The plan certainly seems to be to sign Talbot to a contract extension and put him in a tandem for next season with Hart, while impending unrestricted free agent Elliott is basically playing for a contract elsewhere (and doing a good job of it so far).

5) On Friday, March 22, the Flyers Alumni and title sponsor David & Fill Financial, Inc., will present a special night at 2300 Arena (2300 Swanson St., f/k/a the old ECW Arena for those local wrestling fans out there) in South Philadelphia. The event is called "Friday Night Fights: A Celebration of Old-Time Hockey".

At Friday Night Fights, fans of 1970s and 1980s era tough guys will have a chance to interact and share in some favorite stories with select Broad Street Bullies era and 1980s Flyers enforcers as well as some of their top NHL rivals. A partial list of confirmed attendees includes Dave "the Hammer" Schultz, Dave Brown and his "Bruise Brothers" compatriot Daryl Stanley, longtime Bruins tough guy Terry O'Reilly and Chris "Knuckles" Nilan among others.

There will also be special limited-edition merchandise available at the event. Items includes the return of the Bruise Brothers t-shirt. The design features Brown & Stanley in Blues Brothers attire, and was the No. 1 selling Flyers-related item in the mid-1980s when both players were with the team.

For more information, including ticket pricing and schedule, see the events section of the Flyers Alumni's Facebook page. To order tickets, which go on sale at 8:30 a.m. today, click here.


6) The Pennsylvania SPCA will once again team up with Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere to host Philly Sports Trivia at the Punch Line Philly, 33 East Laurel Street, on Tuesday, March 12, 2019 at 7 p.m. ET.

The trivia questions will center around the Flyers, Phillies, Eagles and 76ers. Al Morganti is the host. A special meet-and-greet with "Ghost" will take place from 6-7pm. Limited tickets are available for $75 and include the meet & greet, food and two drinks. Access to prime seating will also be available for those who purchase VIP tickets.

For those not attending the meet & greet, the evening will also begin with a happy hour from 6-7 p.m. featuring drink specials, raffles and more. All proceeds from the evening will benefit the Pennsylvania SPCA.

For information and tickets, click here.
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