Flyers at World Champs update (Day 4)
While the Stanley Cup playoffs are percolating here, Day 4 of the World Championships is coming to a close overseas – and there are plenty of positives for the nine Flyers participating in the tournament.
Jake Voracek is leading the Czech Republic in scoring. Ilya Bryzgalov posted a shutout in his first start. Erik Gustafsson has posted more points for Sweden than Gabriel Landeskog.
Here is a quick compilation of stats and notes:
CANADA (1-0-1)
- Matt Read (1 goal) scored for the Canadians in a shootout loss to Switzerland on Sunday. This is Read's first time representing Canada. He could not, however, capitalize on a shootout chance to win it. He's skating alongside Jeff Skinner and Ryan O'Reilly.
- Claude Giroux (1 assist) also failed to score on a shootout bid against the Swiss. He leads all Canadian forwards in ice time (21:04 per game). Giroux centers Canada's top line with Steven Stamkos and Andrew Ladd.
- Luke Schenn (1 assist) is a plus-3 over the first two games. He has 4 shots on-goal and is averaging 19:34 per game. His defense partner is Brian Campbell.
- Wayne Simmonds (no points) is playing on the right wing next to two Staals: Eric and Jordan.
CZECH REPUBLIC (1-2-0)
-In Stockholm, Jake Voracek (1 goal, 2 assists) is tied for the Czech scoring lead with Jiri Hudler (3 goals). He's playing on a line with Hudler and Jiri Tlusty. Voracek also leads the Czech in shots on goal with 12. The Czechs have lost two straight.
RUSSIA (2-0-0)
- The defending world champions are off to a good start. Ilya Bryzgalov (15 shots, 15 saves) pitched a 6-0 shutout over Latvia on Saturday in Helsinki. Semyon Varlamov got the nod in Russia's second game. It will be interesting to see who starts on Tuesday night against the Americans.
SWEDEN (1-1-0)
(does not include Monday night's game)
- Wearing Tre Kronor (the Three Crowns) for the first time, Flyers defenseman Erik Gustafsson (1 assist) has been impressive for Sweden. He heads into Monday night's contest against Belarus on the top pairing with Henrik Tallinder. He has a plus-3 rating and is second (20:32) in ice time only to Johan Fransson.
GERMANY (0-2-1)
- Phantoms forward Marcel Noebels, a fourth round pick in 2011, did not dress in one of Germany's three games and has not seen much ice time (5:28 per game) when he has been in there. Noebels is trying to become the 24th German-born player to skate in the NHL. He posted 23 points in 43 games with the Phantoms after starting the year in the ECHL.
UNITED STATES (2-0-0)
- Phantoms goaltender Cal Heeter has yet to dress in a game, as expected. Heeter is serving as the third goaltender to Ben Bishop and John Gibson.
There is a little more than a week remaining in the preliminary round (May 14).
For the latest updates, follow Frank Seravalli on Twitter: @DNFlyers