Future Flyers Report: Travis Sanheim, Ivan Provorov mix it up

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We continue our weekly check-in on the Flyers’ prospects currently playing in the AHL, overseas or at the junior and college levels.

Things took an interesting turn for two exciting youngsters and potential anchors on defense in the team's system last week.

Travis Sanheim and Ivan Provorov, two of the top defenders in the WHL, faced off against each other on Sunday night when Calgary hosted Brandon.

About midway through the third period, Provorov leveled Hitmen forward Beck Malenstyn with a legal shoulder check to the chest in open ice. Sanheim took exception to the contact and went after Provorov in front of the Brandon bench. It was more of a wrestling match than a fight but it was still bizarre to see the future of the Flyers' blue line engaging in a scrap. That's not something you'll see every day.

We have much more to get to, so let’s get started!

Travis Sanheim, D, Calgary Hitmen
Aside from the 14 penalty minutes he picked up against Brandon, Sanheim had a productive two outings for Calgary last week. He earned two assists and a plus-3 rating in a 4-1 win over Prince Albert on Friday and added two more helpers before being tossed in the third period of Sunday's 6-3 drubbing of the Wheat Kings. In all, Sanheim has eight goals and 32 assists in 30 games this season.

Ivan Provorov, D, Brandon Wheat Kings
Provorov, who picked up 12 penalty minutes in his altercation with Sanheim, had an assist against Calgary before hitting the showers. Prior to Sunday, the Russian defenseman potted his 10th goal of 2015-16 in a 4-3 loss to Edmonton on Friday. He didn't factor in on either of Brandon's goals in Saturday's 2-1 win over Red Deer but was exceptional defensively throughout the game. Provorov has appeared in 40 WHL games this season and has 41 points.

Travis Konecny, C/RW, Sarnia Sting
This kid just looks two steps ahead of everybody he's playing against. Konecny continued to pile up points at a torrid rate last week, scoring three goals and assisting three more in three wins for Sarnia. Since joining the Sting, the first-round pick has compiled 21 points in just 12 games. In all, he has 17 goals and 49 assists in 41 appearances between Sarnia and Ottawa. There's literally nothing Konecny can't do at the junior level. He's just as responsible in his own end and he's relentless on the forecheck. His all-around game is top notch.

Sam Morin, D, Lehigh Valley Phantoms
If you look at his game log, you may assume Morin has been relatively quiet as of late. He hasn't picked up a point in eight straight and has an even plus/minus over that stretch. What the box score doesn't show is how well Morin is adapting to the pro level. He's put an emphasis on improving his positioning and it's shown. He's also doing an excellent job with his stick work, especially on poke checks, and is making opponents pay when they travel to his corners. He's coming along nicely.

Cole Bardreau, RW, Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Bardreau just had his best week as a professional. The 22-year-old scored twice in Monday's 6-5 shootout win over Hershey, had a goal and an assist in Wednesday's 6-3 win over Binghamton and found the back of the net two more times, including in overtime, in Friday's 4-3 win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He now has seven markers and eight helpers in 24 games for the Phantoms this season.

Nicolas Aube-Kubel, C/RW, Val-d'Or Foreurs
Aube-Kubel extended his point streak to 10 games with a two-goal, three-assist performance in an 11-5 blowout win over Baie-Comeau on Friday night. Against Gatineau on Sunday, however, the speedy forward couldn't get much going and was held off the scoresheet. That's a rarity. Aube-Kubel has racked up 30 goals and 35 assists in 43 tilts for Val-d'Or this season.

Taylor Leier, LW, Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Since being sent down by the Flyers, Leier has been on an entirely different level. The fleet-footed winger is currently riding a five-game point streak in which he's recorded three goals and five assists. He was an absolute monster on Friday against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and has arguably been the best Phantom over the last two or three weeks.

Philippe Myers, D, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
Myers was instrumental in helping Rouyn-Noranda to a pair of 4-0 shutout wins over Baie-Comeau on Saturday and Sunday. On top of his steady, calming play in the defensive zone, the towering blueliner contributed a goal and two assists. Myers, who wasn't previously known for his offensive ability, is having a phenomenal 2015-16 campaign. In 47 games, he's tallied 13 markers and 21 helpers to go along with a plus-30 rating.

Anthony Stolarz, G, Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Not the best week for Stolarz, an AHL All-Star, but he'll take it. The 6-foot-6 netminder earned three victories despite allowing 11 goals on 91 shots in three starts. He's appeared in 29 games for the Phantoms this season, posting a 15-10-3 record with a .915 save percentage and 2.45 goals-against average.

Radel Fazleev, LW, Calgary Hitmen
Fazleev, who recently helped Team Russia to a silver medal at the World Junior Championship, is experiencing his first true dry spell of the season. He's been held pointless in five of his last six outings but still leads the Hitmen in scoring with 46 points (14 goals) in 39 games. The 20-year-old was whistled for roughing and handed a 10-minute misconduct for his actions in Sunday’s third-period melee against Brandon.

Robert Hagg, D, Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Hagg, who missed significant time with an injury a few months ago, has officially hit a wall. The Swede isn't a flashy player by any means but it looks like he's beginning to regress. He hasn't recorded a point in 12 games and is a minus-5 over that stretch. Phantoms coach Scott Gordon has used Hagg as a healthy scratch twice now because of inconsistent play in all three zones. The 20-year-old has been lauded as a solid two-way defenseman but he hasn't shown much at the AHL level this season. He needs to be better.

Quick hits
• Center Nick Cousins has at least a point in three straight for the Phantoms. The AHL All-Star has two goals and three assists during that stretch.

• Freshman forward Cooper Marody missed No. 6 Michigan's home-and-home sweep of No. 15 Penn State last week. He sat out both victories because of an illness.

• Sophomore defenseman Mark Friedman appeared in two games for No. 18 Bowling Green last week. He notched an assist in a 4-4 tie with Michigan Tech on Friday but was held pointless in the rematch Saturday, a 4-1 defeat.

• Winger Petr Straka is expected to miss some time for Lehigh Valley. Gordon confirmed last week that Straka will be sidelined for awhile with a lower-body injury.

• Sophomore defenseman Terrance Amorosa helped Clarkson to a pair of 2-1 victories over Cornell and Colgate last week. He collected a goal in each matchup and now has 10 points in 15 games this season.

• Winger Danick Martel had three assists in four games for the Phantoms last week. He has 14 goals and 24 points in 38 appearances in 2015-16.

• Sophomore goalie Merrick Madsen was spectacular yet again for No. 7 Harvard. In his lone start last week, he turned aside 33 of 34 shots to guide the Crimson to a 4-1 win over Princeton. Madsen is now 11-1-2 with four shutouts, a .936 save percentage and 1.85 goals-against average this season.

• Winger Oskar Lindblom picked up a game-winning, power-play goal and an assist in nearly 19 minutes of ice time in Brynäs' 2-1 win over Luleå Hockey on Friday. 

• Goalie Felix Sandstrom was superb in two starts for Brynäs last week. He made 19 saves on 20 shots in a winning effort on Friday but took a shootout loss a night later in the rematch vs. Luleå Hockey after allowing just one goal on 32 shots in 65 minutes.

• Center Mikhail Vorobyov played three games for Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the KHL last week. He saw a total of 14:47 of ice time combined and was predictably held off the scoresheet. His minutes continue to be limited.

• Center Samuel Dove-McFalls, who recently returned from knee surgery, failed to record a point in Saint John's 5-3 win over Rimouski on Friday. He then missed Saturday's 5-3 victory over Acadie-Bathurst and a reason for his absence was not disclosed.

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