While you’re enjoying some early Sunday afternoon football, the Flyers are about to head into a busy week, capped off on Friday by the Winter Classic. We’ll be on the ground in Boston beginning Wednesday, providing coverage of the NHL’s showcase event from a Flyers fan perspective that can’t be matched by any other media outlet.
We have several interviews lined up and several unique opportunities to take part in — including a skate on the Fenway ice and a tour of the ballpark — and the goal for the week is to try to give Flyers fans a feel of what it’s like to be in Boston for this event, in addition to coverage of the actual hockey game, of course. If you have any suggestions or any requests for specific coverage, the comments are obviously always open and we’re just an email away. Our coverage starts tomorrow with an interview or two to be published. For everything Winter Classic, Broad Street Hockey is your source.
There’s other news on this Sunday, though, as the Flyers gear up for the New York Islanders tonight. Remember the 5 PM start time, which unfortunately overlaps the Eagles 4 PM start.
- Ryan Parent, who did not play last night in Carolina after suffering from back spasms just prior to the game, will not play again tonight. Danny Syvret has been called up from the Phantoms in his place.
- Brian Boucher is still feeling the effects of a lacerated finger and will likely sit again tonight. Michael Leighton will start for the second straight night.
- According to Twitter, the Flyers had a rough trip from Raleigh to Long Island last night. The team plane had to re-fuel in Baltimore due to rough weather in a trip that saw some turbulent skies.
- In other hockey news, Sweden announced their Olympic roster today and former Flyer Peter Forsberg is on the team. The Swedes join Belarus and Russia as the only countries to announce their mens teams thus far. Team USA will be announced during intermission of the Winter Classic on NBC, while Canada and Finland will be announced on Wednesday. For a full look at the rosters and the dates each nation will announce their team, check the IIHF website.
- There’s another international tournament going on right now — the World Junior Championships in Saskatoon and Regina, Saskatchewan. USA came back to beat Slovakia 7-3 after falling behind 2-0 in the first period. Canada beat Latvia 16-0, Russia beat Austria 6-2, and Sweden beat the Czechs 10-1. Ah first round international hockey.
- The premliminary round of the WJC’s continues today with four games, including the Americans taking on Switzerland. In case you don’t have enough to watch this evening with the Flyers and Eagles, that USA/Switzerland game will be shown on NHL Network in the US at 4 PM ET.
We’ll be back in a little while with tonight’s Flyers/Isles preview and game thread.
