Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Filppula’s dramatic debut just what the doctor ordered
PHILADELPHIA » Alive on arrival, Valtteri Filppula scored a dramatic and timely goal at Wells Fargo Center Thursday night, lifting the Flyers out of an extended period of scoreless doldrums and eventually into a 2-1 shootout victory over the Florida Panthers.
Talk about your dramatic debuts...
“Yeah,” newest Flyer Val-Fil said. “Nice to get the win. Fun to play, for sure.”
OK, so he’s not an excitable boy. He’s also no kid at nearly 33 years of age. But what Filppula can be for the Flyers is exactly what he turned out to be on his first work night in Philadelphia — a catalyst.
If there’s anything this scoring challenged team needs, it’s at least one of those.
“He’s a very good player on the puck,” said Jake Voracek, who along with fellow secondline winger Brayden Schenn was fed a few on-point passes by their new center. “He’s got a heavy stick. He made a lot of plays today and he’s very confident with that.”
The goal came with 10:38 gone in the third period, Schenn making a pinpoint pass himself that Filppula expertly tipped past Florida goalie James Reimer. Or maybe it didn’t go exactly like that.
“It was a real good pass,” Filppula said. “I was trying to go to the net and it just hit my stick. I was happy to see it go in. Real nice play by him.”
He’s an 11-year veteran, is the only current Flyer with a Stanley Cup ring, makes $5 million a year ... and yet the cool confidence Val-Fil plays with comes with layers of humility. Maybe that’s not too difficult, considering he went his last 15 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning without scoring.
“Hopefully I can score a few more,” Filppula said. “It definitely doesn’t happen too often for me, so it was definitely nice. That’s my goal. Obviously if guys keep passing those kinds of passes it makes it easier.”
••• After an exciting, back-andforth overtime session, the Flyers pulled off the much needed win in overtime. Jordan Weal and Jake Voracek scored the goals, Steve Mason was masterful in net. He wound up making 39 saves.
All of that had to happen because after a Flyers-driven first period, they fell behind midway through the second period when Claude Giroux giftwrapped a goal for the Panthers.
Attempting an ill-advised outlet pass from the defensive zone, Giroux fired it right to Florida defender Aaron Ekblad, who picked off the puck, skated in, stutter-stepped right around a wide-eyed Giroux then fired the puck past Mason for a 1-0 lead.
That almost held up, but didn’t because of Filppula’s tipin goal. Maybe that made Giroux feel a little bit better ... or maybe not.
“I thought (Brayden) Schenn was open and then I played that wrong defensively,” Giroux said. “It’s frustrating. I’m pissed off and I have to be better and the team played a great 55-minute game and personally I gave Florida a point (with the overtime loss). So it’s frustrating and I have to be better.”
Giroux also complimented the Flyers’ new forward who in a way bailed him out on this night.
“We’re not really surprised the way he played,” Giroux said of Filppula. “When he’s got the puck he makes plays that not a lot of players can make, and that line was flying tonight.”
••• With the departure of Mark Streit Wednesday for Pittsburgh, the Flyers had to appoint another one of their wellpaid veteran stars as an alternate captain.
Instead, coach Dave Hakstol ordered an “A” be sewn onto the jersey of the locker room’s most unlikely resident, PierreEdouard Bellemare.
Bellemare, who turns 32 Monday, is only in his third NHL season, and third with the Flyers. He’s one of only two players from France in the league. Pretty safe bet any other French-born players designated for an NHL future didn’t see letters sewn onto sweaters, but Bellemare has had them before.
He has served as captain and alternate captain of the French national team and teams in Sweden for which he’s played.
There’s a reason for that, said goalie Michal Neuvirth.
“He deserves it,” Neuvirth said. “He’s an awesome guy, a great leader in the locker room and for sure, he’s the hardest working guy on the team. So good for him, he deserves it.”
Along with Neuvirth, Bellemare was also rewarded Wednesday with a two-year contract extension (worth a total of $2.9 million). Couple that with Thursday’s announcement of his new position in the room, and ...
“Obviously proud,” Bellemare said. “Super happy to be able to represent the team this way and to be able to help the guys more in the locker room.”
Bellemare, who was married last summer, said Hakstol gave him the news by saying, “...I deserve (it) with the hard work and the way I work in the locker room, it makes sense for me to have the “A” right now.”
And in relating that, Bellemare appeared to become emotional.
“To be able to represent the team for two more years is unbelievable,” he said. “But then to be able to have the A, I mean, I’m a French guy coming into the league really late. I don’t expect to stay that long. I’m just trying to go my way and work for the team, and suddenly, a lot of things happened in a week.
“My mom is here, so there is no batter timing, really . ... She doesn’t know yet. She’s going to snap.” NOTES » Panthers starter Roberto Luongo had to leave after one period due to an ouchy groin, but Reimer played great in his stead against a barrage of 49 Flyers shots . ... The Flyers announced Russian prospect German Rubtsov, 18, their top selection in last June’s draft and who is currently averaging better than a point per game in the Quebec Major Junior league, has signed an entry-level deal . ... Voracek, who Tuesday scored a goal that originally looked like it was a hat trick goal for Wayne Simmonds, is trying to make up for the loss of so many Flyers fans’ hats that mistakenly flew to the ice that night. Voracek is donating 396 new Flyers caps for distribution to kids at area hospitals. It’s expected to cost him in the neighborhood of $8,000.