Flyers to salute Snider; Mason has plan to prevent bracelet toss
A banner will be raised to the rafters honoring the late Ed Snider when the Flyers play their home opener Thursday against the winless Anaheim Ducks.
The Flyers will show a tribute video on their 50-year history and Snider, who co-founded the team. This is the franchise's first season without the beloved Snider, who died in April after a two-year battle with bladder cancer.
"The banner for Mr. Snider is well-deserved," right winger Jake Voracek said after Thursday's morning skate at the Wells Fargo Center. "Obviously, we miss him a lot, but we just have to focus on getting two points tonight."
"It's a special night for everybody that's going to be involved in it," said goalie Steve Mason, who will start Thursday. "This organization is rich in history, and the Flyers are who they are because of Mr. Snider -- and it will be nice to see him get the respect he definitely deserves."
Using Snider as an inspiration, the Flyers -- after visiting their ailing owner at his California mansion -- rallied in the second half of last season and made an improbable surge to secure a playoff spot.
The Flyers are 1-1-1 this season.
Anaheim (0-3-1), which is playing its fifth straight road game, is coming off a 2-1 loss in New Jersey and has been outscored this season, 12-7.
The Flyers began the season on a three-game road trip that began with a 4-2 win in Los Angeles and was followed by a 4-3 overtime loss in Arizona and a 7-4 defeat in Chicago.
Matt Read and Sean Couturier lead the Flyers with three goals apiece, putting them tied for No. 5 in the NHL. Rookie Travis Konecny and Claude Giroux each have four assists.
Left winger Brayden Schenn will return from a three-game suspension and make his season debut.
The Flyers need to tighten their defense. They have surrendered 13 goals, including an empty-netter, in three games, and their goalies have struggled in the last two contests.
Pre-game ceremonies will begin at 6:52 p.m., and the puck will drop at 7:21.
Bracelets, Part II. In last year's 6-1 playoff loss to Washington -- a night that started with a stirring tribute to Snider after his death -- about 100 fans littered the ice with giveaway bracelets in the third period.
Glowing bracelets commemorating the team's 50th season will be given to fans Thursday. Mason was asked if he was concerned about a repeat performance from fans.
"I guess it's up to us to give them reasons to keep them on their wrists," he said.
Ghost's home opener. Tonight will mark the first home opener for Shayne Gostisbehere, who was promoted from the Phantoms last November.
"It's obviously a little special because it's the first one, but I'm treating it like any other game," Gostisbehere said. "It should be fun and we're all excited."
Rookie watch. Rookie defenseman Ivan Provorov said his minus-5 performance in Tuesday's 7-4 loss in Chicago was "something you learn from and move on." He said it "happens to all of us. Even the best players make mistakes. If no one made mistakes, the games would end 0-0. What separates the best players from the average players is that they (the best ones) just let it go."
Provorov will have his parents and billet family from Wilkes Barre at the game.
Left winger Konecny, another 19-year-old rookie, will have his parents, grandparents, girlfriend and his dad's "fire buddies from back home" at the game.
Konecny said he was feeling "confident and ready to have fun. We're going to have extra help tonight with the crowd."
Breakaways. Nick Cousins will return to the lineup after being a healthy scratch last game, replacing Roman Lyubimov. ... Brandon Manning and Wayne Simmonds are ranked in the league's top 10 with 13 hits apiece. ... The Flyers have lost six straight to Anaheim, going 0-4-2 in that span. They haven't beaten the Ducks at the Wells Fargo Center since 2008.
