Sports Talk Philly: Philadelphia Sports News and Rumors

Flyers Training Camp Update: Let the Games Begin

(Photo: Mike Kruce)

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

After three vigorous days of training camp practices on the ice, it’s time for the preseason games to begin. The first group of the day was the same lineup that will play in the Flyers preseason opener on Monday.

The lines from practice were as follows:

James van Riemsdyk-Kevin Hayes-Jake Voracek
Isaac Ratcliffe-Morgan Frost-Joel Farabee
Oskar Lindblom-German Rubtsov-Chris Stewart
Maksim Sushko-Mikhail Vorobyev-Kyle Criscuolo

Shayne Gostisbehere-Justin Braun
Sam Morin-Andy Welinski
Egor Zamula-Phil Myers
Chris Bigras-Mason Millman

For the defensive pairings, it sounded like Egor Zamula and Mason Millman were going to be the two scratches, which would bring Chris Bigras and Phil Myers together on a pairing.

Alain Vigneault said that Brian Elliott will get the start in goal and Alex Lyon will serve as the backup. They will switch goalies halfway through the game.

Flyers Warriors Providing Veteran Community with Opportunity on Ice

(Photo: Mike Kruce)

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

Earlier in the week, the entire country honored the memory of those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001, 18 years ago. It's a constant reminder of the cost of freedom, and many veterans have paid the ultimate price.

For the veteran community in Philadelphia, the opportunity to play hockey wasn't always present. A simple phone call changed all that and allowed the Philadelphia Flyer Warriors to become a reality.

Flyers Training Camp Update: Vigneault Impressed with Farabee, Hayes Line

(Photo: Mike Kruce)

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

There were no big surprises at Day 2 of training camp for the Flyers. The same players who were injured did not skate. The same notable absence was still not present. And the line combinations remained the same.

That meant another day of Joel Farabee taking his place on a line with Claude Giroux and Sean Couturier. It’s a situation that Alain Vigneault believes provides an opportunity for Farabee to be a camp surprise.

“That’s what you want in camp. You need surprises,” Vigneault said. “We need some of these young kids to step up and force us into some decisions. That’s how your team gets better and we’re going to obviously an opportunity to do that.”

Farabee didn’t disappoint. He was aggressive in drills, competing hard at both ends of the ice, and that certainly caught Vigneault’s attention.

New Coach in Place, It’s On the Flyers Players Now

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By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

The start of a new camp breeds optimism. That happens across the league. But there is a different feel to this Flyers camp.

There is a new man in charge behind the bench, and his presence was felt early. Drills were run at a great pace. It was something that left GM Chuck Fletcher amazed.

Who Will be the 76ers Closer in the 2019-20 Season?

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By Matt Gregan, Sports Talk Philly Editor

The most important time of an NBA game is the fourth quarter. The importance of having a go-to guy in a close game is paramount, and the Philadelphia 76ers, after trading away Jimmy Butler and losing JJ Redick in free agency, find themselves without a clear solution for who can fill that role. 

Butler was adept at taking over games in the fourth quarter and was not afraid of taking the last shot of the game. He averaged 6.4 points per game in the fourth quarter last season, by far his highest amount in any quarter. 

Redick, the 76ers' sharpshooter for the previous two seasons, could always be relied upon to hit a key 3-pointer at any point in the game. 

The 76ers, now without both of those players, are searching for a clear No. 1 option in the fourth quarter. Will it be Tobias Harris? Josh Richardson? Ben Simmons? All of those players have the potential to step up and take on the role of being the main option in the fourth quarter of games.