Thanks to the ECHL

Royals crown Thunder, Gill’s ShO puts Reading two-up in Kelly Finals

Riley Gill stopped all 27 shots he faced, and the Reading Royals rode a three-goal first-period explosion to subdue the Stockton Thunder by a 4-0 count in Game 2 of the Kelly Cup Finals on Sunday evening at Sovereign Center. “It’s certainly less stressful on the bench,” Royals head coach Larry Courville said about the difference between Game 2 and Game 1′s back-and-forth 6-5 overtime contest. “I’ve been pulling my hair out this year. The guys have done a great job winning those close games but it was nice not to go to OT.” Alex Berry, Brett Flemming and T.J. …

Thanks to Red Rooster Hockey

Southern Hockey on the Skids: Stop Macon Sense

The first in a biweekly series this offseason where I let it all hang out. I will invite readers of Flyers Faithful to take a break from the maddening crush of rumors, draft picks, trades and free agents this Summer to read on and find out how I got here, and why I think, feel and write the way I do about the game hockey, the vagaries of the business and culture after almost 15 years navigating rough waters in sports media. A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away before massive internet proliferation made actual human contact …

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Royals beat Cincinnati, roar into Kelly Cup Finals

After a 12-year journey which included three previous busted attempts to reach the fourth and/or final round of the ECHL playoffs, the Royals finally got over the hump on Saturday night. Kirk MacDonald registered the winning goal just past the midway point of regulation and Riley Gill stopped 25 pucks as the Royals posted a 3-1 victory over the Cincinnati Cyclones in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Ian O’Connor and T.J. Syner also added scores while Dustin Stevenson tallied two assists for the top seed in the East, who will face Stockton in the Kelly Cup Finals beginning …

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Future Flyers Report: Konan/Akeson finish season with Flyers, three prospects in 2013 IIHF World Championship, Titans finished, Canadian junior updates

Another pair of Philadelphia Flyers’ prospects made their NHL debut this week, as both Matthew Konan and Jason Akeson appeared in contests for the Orange and Black. Konan made his debut in the Flyers’ 2-1 win on Thursday against the New York Islanders at the Wells Fargo Center. He had two hits and a blocked shot in 13:09 of ice time. In Saturday’s 2-1 win over the Ottawa Senators, both Konan and Akeson suited up for the Flyers. Konan had four shots on net, three hits, and one blocked shot in 18:42 TOI during his first NHL appearance. As for …

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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 …

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Future Flyers Report: Brandon Manning joins the Flyers, Leier’s Winterhawks nearly in WHL Finals, Straka and Baie-Comeau almost in QMJHL Finals

After Kent Huskins suffered a concussion from Ryan White’s illegal hit in the Philadelphia Flyers’ 7-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Monday, yet another unexpected defenseman made an appearance on the Flyers’ blue line. This time it was Brandon Manning. Manning played in a few games for the Orange and Black last season, as he posted a plus-1 rating in four contests for Philly. He didn’t record a point with the Flyers last season, but the former Chilliwack Bruin played well in his first stretch at the NHL level. A day after Huskins’ injury, Manning appeared in his first …

Straka in his time with Rimouski Oceanic. Image courtesy of mrx.ca.

Future Flyers Report: Straka signs an entry-level deal, Gostisbehere named an All-American, Wellwood suffers major injury, OHL/WHL playoff updates

The Philadelphia Flyers’ organization signed forward Petr Straka this week. The 6’0″ 194-pound skater is currently helping Baie-Comeau Drakkar of the QMJHL in their postseason run, as the club is set to take on Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in the semifinals. Picked 55th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2010 NHL Draft, Straka had 41 goals and 41 assists in 55 games for Baie-Comeau during the regular season. He also eight goals and 10 helpers in Drakkar’s eight postseason games so far this postseason, which is good enough for third overall in the QMJHL playoffs. In the NCAA, Shayne Gostisbehere …

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Atlantic Watch: Flyers aren’t out yet, Pens clinch the division, Islanders sit in seventh, Devils endure long losing streak

The Philadelphia Flyers entered this week on a winning streak, but they left it on a losing skid and can now only hope they receive some help to make the postseason. With four of their final nine games coming up in the next week, the Orange and Black will likely find out if they will be heading to the playoffs by April 17th. The Flyers won their third straight game on Wednesday night with a 5-3 comeback decision over the Montreal Canadiens in Philly. Wayne Simmonds tied the game with a little over five minutes left before Erik Gustafsson’s first …

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Future Flyers Report: Alt signs entry-level deal, Cousins and Alderson debut with Phantoms, Oshawa on the brink of elimination, Zolnierczyk traded

Mark Alt joined the Philadelphia Flyers’ organization just before the beginning of this shortened NHL season began back in the middle of January. In a deal that also brought Brian Boucher back to Philly, the Orange and Black also acquired Alt from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for forward Luke Pither.Alt spent this season with the University of Minnesota, a squad that was upset by the Yale Bulldogs in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. Over his three years with the Golden Gophers, Alt totaled seven goals, 32 assists, and 85 PIMs with a plus-39 rating in 117 games. The …

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Future Flyers Report: Lauridsen in the NHL, Yale ruins Frozen Four dreams, OHL/WHL playoff updates

Oliver Lauridsen experienced a sample size of professional hockey with the Adirondack Phantoms in the 2010-2011 season before spending the entire 2011-2012 campaign with the club. Due to several of the Philadelphia Flyers’ defensemen being out of action because of injuries, Lauridsen got his first taste of the NHL this weekend. At 6″6′, 229 pounds, Lauridsen is a gigantic blue liner that uses his size to his advantage by being a physical, stay-at-home defender. From 2008-2009 to 2010-2011, the defenseman spent most of his time with St. Cloud State University where he had seven goals and 15 assists along with …

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