From left to right: Krista, Ralph, and Kellie Manoppello at the 2012 Winter Classic.

Flyers Hockey: The Family of Fans

“Hockey fans have an amazing history together, like a small fraternity.” It’s a long-standing tradition in sports, older generations passing their fandom down to younger generations. Scores of fans will tell you that they became fans of their favorite teams because they were brought up in a family of passionate sports fans. You’ll find this often in the major sports towns, like Philadelphia, where a fan’s love for their team is homegrown. 54-year-old Ralph Manoppello of Conshohocken has been a Flyers fan since before the team first lifted the Stanley Cup, and thanks to him, his daughters Kellie and Krista …

Simmer in front

Breaking down the Bullies: Increased offense from more net presence

For better or for worse, this bunch of Flyers seems to be putting it together as the season comes to a close. Even with a severely depleted blue line, they have been able to put together a stretch of 4-1 hockey for just the second time this season. It may seem bizarre, but it shouldn’t be meant as a slight to injured defenders in the pressbox. Instead, the signs point to a resurgence of offense from this talented group of players. The last time (and only other time) they were able to go 4-1, they managed to put up 21 …

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Atlantic Watch: Pens at the top of the Eastern Conference, Islanders clinch playoff spot, Rangers hanging on to eighth

After learning that they wouldn’t be in the playoffs for the second time in the last 18 seasons, the Flyers pulled off two straight wins. The Orange and Black look to end the campaign on a strong note with one more home game and one more away game. The Flyers were shut out by Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils on Thursday in a 3-0 loss at the Wells Fargo Center. Brodeur stopped 23 shots from the Flyers to end the Devils’ 10-game losing streak, while the trio of Ryan Carter, Matt D’Agostini, and Adam Henrique scored in Jersey’s …

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2013 Draft Eligibles: Sean Monahan is the year’s Sean Couturier

For Ottawa 67’s center Sean Monahan, playing alongside Tyler Toffoli (47th overall, LA, ’10) Shane Prince (61st overall, OTT, ’11), and Cody Ceci (15th overall, OTT, ’12) for his first two seasons in the OHL proved to be valuable for the top OHL forward prospect in this year’s NHL draft. In 127 games playing with the trio of Ceci, Prince, and Toffoli, Monahan registered 53 goals and 125 points. These are impressive numbers for the 6’2 193 pound center from Brampton, Ontario but questions lingered about Monahan prior to the start of the 2012-13 OHL season. Can he do produce …

Brandon Manning, Wade Redden, Steve Mason

Flyers Give Second Strong Effort in a Row, Win 5-2 over Boston

With a little help from an unexpected source, the Philadelphia Flyers won 5-2 over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night, their second strong effort in a row — despite being out of playoff contention. Oliver Lauridsen scored his first NHL goal 11:31 into the second period, with some help from Boston’s Zdeno Chara. Lauridsen dumped the puck into the Bruins’ end, where Chara attempted to throw it back around the boards. Unfortunately for Boston, the puck rolled into the crease, hit goaltender Anton Khudobin’s stick, and went into the net. Steve Mason looked terrific between the pipes, coming up with …

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Flyers recall Andreas Lilja from Phantoms

The Flyers announced earlier today that they recalled defenseman Andreas Lilja from the AHL. ROSTER NEWS: #Flyers have recalled (D) Andreas Lilja from the Phantoms. — Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) April 23, 2013 Lilja had only played a single game with the Flyers this year before being placed on waivers and sent down to the Phantoms.  In the one game with the Flyers he had no points and a minus-1 rating With the Phantoms, Lilja has played in 33 contests and has one goal and seven assists for a total of eight points along with a minus-4. With the revelation of …

Thanks to CB

Agony of de-foot: Timonen out for rest of season

It just keeps getting worser and worser for the Flyers blue line. Hours before a home game against the Boston Bruins, the club announced that veteran defenseman Kimmo Timonen will not play in the remaining three contests due to a broken right foot. Timonen, the presumptive winner of the Barry Ashbee Trophy as the team’s best defenseman through this slog of a 2013 schedule, had been the healthiest of all the club’s players to this point. But with no postseason on the horizon, it’s a smart move to drop the charade now and admit that an injury which could have …

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2013 Draft Eligibles: Valentin Zykov, a Russian-born player for the Flyers in Round One?

Whenever a 17-year old makes the coveted Team Russia roster for the Subway Super Series, eyebrows raise and brows furrow. “Who is this kid? I thought he had 11 points in 52 games last season and now he is skating on a line with Anton Zlobin (PIT 173rd overall ’12) and Mikhail Grigorenko (BUF 12th overall ’12).” Instead of stumbling playing on a line with such highly touted NHL prospects 2013 draft-eligible forward Valentin Zykov dazzled onlookers, forcing their attention back to the program momentarily to identify the big Russian. In the first game of the series Zykov scored a …

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Trenton Titans to cease operations in 2013-2014

As first reported by Mike Ashmore of The Trentonian on Monday night, then confirmed via release on Tuesday afternoon, the Trenton Titans will be ceasing operations for the 2013-2014 season. After five seasons as the Trenton Devils, the team reverted back to their original name of the Trenton Titans for the 2011-12 season and once again became the ECHL affiliate for the Philadelphia Flyers.  It’s been a tough two seasons for the Titans as they managed a combined record of 53-73-18, while finishing dead last in their conference last season and 11th this past season. Ashmore conveys that financial struggles …

Courtesy of the Albany Times-Union

Flyers recall four from Phantoms

The Adirondack Phantoms’ season concluded this past weekend, and, since there will be no playoff hockey in the Glens Falls Civic Center, the Flyers decided to give four guys one last shot at glory. On Monday afternoon, forwards Jason Akeson, Scott Laughton, Tye McGinn and defenseman Matt Konan were recalled to Philadelphia. The Orange and Black have three games remaining on their 2013 schedule, beginning with Tuesday’s home game/reunion with Jaromir Jagr and the Boston Bruins. Akeson led Terry Murray’s club with 53 points (20G, 33A) in 62 games after being recalled from Trenton of the ECHL. Laughton made the …