The Flyers played their annual prospect game against the Capitals rookies and thousands of fans showed up to see the future Flyers get a hard-fought 3-2 win. The game had a few tilts and the pace was pretty fast for most of the game.
I think the fans were great. To me they were the No. 1 star of the show, showing up in numbers like that to a rookie game, said Flyers GM Paul Holmgren. It just shows how great our fans are here. It was just an entertaining game There were some good plays and some breakdowns by both teams that led to good opportunities, but overall I was really happy with the way the game went.
Brad Phillips, a seventh-round pick in 2007 (182nd overall) started off the game for the Flyers in net. He has good size at 6-2, 185 pounds and he can fill a fair amount of net and he doesnt give up too many rebounds. He gave up a goal midway in the first period, but that would be the last.
The Farmington Hills, Mich. product seemed to give his teammates some confidence when the Flyers were being outplayed in the first period. Down two men at one point, Phillips settled in and made a nice glove save in traffic.
He appeared in 30 games for the Bloomington Blaze last year in the Central Hockey League where he posted a 12-7-5 record, a 2.38 goals against average and a .914 save percentage. Phillips has better talent than most goaltenders in that league, but some times you have to go somewhere you can play games and the Flyers had a lot of goalies playing in the AHL and ECHL. At this point, the 22-year-old is getting more and more professional experience, which will help him in the future.
The Flyers took a 2-1 lead in the second period and at the midway point Michael Houser came in to relieve Phillips. This is standard operating procedure in these types of games. Its not indicative of how the first goaltender played, but rather a plan to see two prospects perform in a game situation.
Houser held off the Caps' rookies, especially in the third period when the opposition turned it on and eventually pulled their goalie to get an extra attacker on the ice. He was cool under pressure. Houser did yield one goal in the game, but he finished very strong. The Caps' rookies outshot the Flyers, 26-24.
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It felt good. Its hard to come in halfway during a game, but you have to just stay mentally prepared while you are on the bench, watch the game closely and be ready when your name is called, Houser said. It was a pretty close game out there and it was high tempo and the guys were flying, so it was a good game to play in and it was fun.
During the game some fans, who are always inventive and were in mid-season form, started chanting Doogie, Doogie, a take off of the former network television show, Doogie Howser, M.D. The hope was that the backstop heard them, but Houser's focus was strictly on the game.
No, I didnt hear it but Ive heard it at other rinks before. Its not the first time, he said with a smile.
Houser, a Wexford, Pa. native, played for the London Knights of the OHL last season. He posted a terrific record of 30-19-5, along with a 3.32 goals against average and a .904 save percentage. He has a hybrid style that differs from Phillips. Hes very fast up and down and he has a terrific glove hand that was on display Thursday. The change in styles may have been hard for the Capitals' players to adjust to in the game.
I think they try to get a read on a goalie early in the game and they try to stick to a game plan once they see you in net, Houser said. All of sudden they switch it up here, obviously Im sure they got an early read on him and I just tried to do the best I can.
Even though the Flyers are loaded with goaltending talent on the NHL level, its good to have a pipeline to some youngsters who will take years to develop just in case. You never know whats going to happen in the future and the Flyers have certainly learned from previous seasons that you can never have too much goaltending.
Flyers coach Peter Laviolette was up in the press box watching Phantoms coach Joe Patterson working this game. He definitely got a peek at a few players who could be playing for him in the AHL this fall. Some of the players from this game will attend training camp when it opens up this Saturday.
E-mail Russ Cohen at rcohen@sportsology.net.