The Philadelphia Flyers touched the Ice at the 02 Arena in Prague for the first time today and it wasn’t as if it was a silent stadium, either. There were thousands pouring to see their hero, Jake Voracek in an hour-long open practice that saw the Orange and Clad find a groove before Friday night’s season opener.
Jake Voracek is fired up
The Flyers have a Czech Republican star in their midst and have for quite some time. You might have heard of him, his name is Jake Voracek. The two-time Bobby Clarke Trophy winner skated out onto the ice in today’s open practice to a roaring chant.
The stands were packed. Junior hockey teams, families, and rows of orange jerseys were all there to see the man flying the flag for the Czech Republic in the game they love. It’s a special weekend for Voracek and one he would love to cap off with a goal.
If this was the ovation following a practice, just imagine the eruption if he scores:
Carter Hart looked sharp
This may sound obvious, but Hart looked good. Like really, really good. After a breakout campaign in 2018, Hart looks set to build on that foundation and allowed minimal damage in today’s action.
What was most impressive was on a fastbreak drill, he allowed just one goal in what felt like forever. Shorthanded drills were no bother and Hart was keeping just about everything in front of him with the exception of a couple of second-chance efforts. This all bodes very well for tomorrow night.
Provy and Braun are dominant
If you were wondering where Travis Konecny was today, he was buried in Provy’s back pocket. Provorov was on fire at the 02 Arena on Thursday, breaking up vital passes and showing a real focus on his stick movement.
Perhaps more impressively, the chemistry with Justin Braun is extremely visible. The two bounce off each other so well and are able the processing was next level. It just looked as though the two were on the same wavelength and were able to slow the game down easier than what we saw from Ghost and Hagg.
Braun’s presence is key for the Flyers, but Provorov could be one of the biggest beneficiaries.
The Vets stood out
Whether it was Voracek or Giroux, Hayes or Couturier, the vets glistened. It’s only one practice, but after an offseason of transition and adaptation, you can see the visible core that’s pushing the youth infusion forward.
I think this core of vets are going to be key in so many ways outside of their consistent elite play. But in keeping confidence high in adversity, in lifting the youth around them. You could see the comfort levels on the Ice when the Vets were working through drills and that in itself is really important.
Mandatory Credit: Sarah Stier-USA TODAY Sports
