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Flyers Notes: Ed Snider honored by U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame induction

Flyers Notes More than four decades ago, Ed Snider introduced the region to another sport. Little did anyone know at the time that Philadelphia would become one of the nation's best hockey cities.

Flyers Notes

More than four decades ago, Ed Snider introduced the region to another sport.

Little did anyone know at the time that Philadelphia would become one of the nation's best hockey cities.

For his role in bringing the Flyers to Philadelphia - and for giving thousands of inner-city youths a chance to play hockey - Snider will be inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday in Chicago.

Snider, chairman of the Flyers' parent company, Comcast-Spectacor, said in a phone conversation earlier this week that he is "deeply honored."

In an interview last summer, Snider said he had "seen our city grow from a very few people knowing what a puck was to two million people at each of our Stanley Cup parades" in 1974 and 1975.

Snider formed the Flyers in 1967, and he said he was most proud about the club's winning the Stanley Cup in just the franchise's seventh season.

"Beating Boston with all their great players, 1-0, in Game 6," he said when asked about his favorite memory. "And it's a good thing we did, because if we went back to Boston for Game 7, I think we would have had big problems."

Snider, 78, went into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto in 1988.

In addition to being chairman of one of the NHL's most successful franchises - only Montreal has a better all-time winning percentage than the Flyers - Snider oversees the Snider Youth Hockey Foundation, which provides more than 3,000 area children with equipment, ice time, and coaching.

"It's incredibly satisfying, and it keeps growing," Snider said. "The city was dropping rinks, and we said we'd run them. . . . We've helped lots of kids."

Snider's foundation recently invested $6.5 million - the city and state matched it - to enclose three city rinks.

"It used to be the kids only had ice from November to March; now they have it 365 days a year," Snider said. "And we do other things besides hockey. We teach them life skills, help them with their homework."

Peter Luukko, the Flyers' president, and general manager Paul Holmgren will be at Monday's ceremony. So will Snider's six children and their spouses.

Former Flyers broadcaster Mike "Doc" Emrick, Chris Chelios, Gary Suter, and Keith Tkachuk also will be inducted.

Leino hearing

Buffalo's Ville Leino had a disciplinary hearing Thursday with the NHL for his hit to the head of the Flyers' Matt Read on Wednesday. Leino was suspended for one game.

Meanwhile, the Flyers' Marc-Andre Bourdon escaped a hearing after boarding Nathan Gerbe from behind in the same game. Gerbe suffered a concussion.

Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff couldn't understand why Bourdon didn't have a hearing.

"That one really surprises me, because he's defenseless," Ruff told Buffalo reporters. "He gets hit hard; he's hurt. That one I can't figure out."

Breakaways

Flyers icon Bernie Parent, 66, on deciding to play in the Winter Classic alumni game: "I'm in my prime." . . . Brayden Schenn (upper-body injury) was scratched again. . . . Mark Messier was added to the New York Rangers team for the alumni game. - Sam Carchidi