While the Flyers and Phantoms seasons are winding down; conference finals for all three CHL leagues (OHL, WHL, and QMJHL) are just starting up and there are several Flyers prospects looking to make it to their respective league championships.
OHL - LONDON KNIGHTS vs PLYMOUTH WHALERS
G - Anthony Stolarz - London Knights
London has been the best team in the OHL all season. With a .722 winning percentage, they won 50 games, six more games than any other team in the league and 8 more then their opponents the Whalers. Flyers 2012 2nd Round pick Anthony Stolarz joined the team halfway through the season after not getting many starts with Nebraska-Omaha in the NCAA. Stolarz has played great since coming to the Knights and has really stepped up it up in the Playoffs. His .946 Save percentage ties him with 2012 World Junior Gold Medalist John Gibson for third best amongst playoff goalies while his 1.76 GAA is second to only by 2012 first round pick Malcom Subban.
London is expected by many to win not only this series but to repeat as OHL champions. Stolarz will have to be on his game for the next few weeks to get them back to the memorial cup.
WHL - PORTLAND WINTERHAWKS vs KAMLOOPS BLAZERS
LW - Taylor Leier - Portland Winterhawks
Portland dominated the WHL just as London did in the OHL. Stacked with top prospects like Ty Rattie and Derrick Pouliot and some of the top players in this years draft like Seth Jones and Oliver Bjorkstrand the Winterhawks won .812% of their games this season. But part of Portland's success is due to depth players like Flyers 2012 4th Round pick Taylor Leier. Leier is a strong two way forward who scored 25 more points this season then last, and has scored 5 goals and 10 points in ten playoff games this season.
Portland have a strong chance at beating Kamloops and reaching the WHL final where they could have a re-match of last season's championship series with the Edmonton Oil Kings.
QMJHL - BAIE-COMEAU DRAKKAR vs BLAINVILLE-BOISBRIAND ARMADA
RW - Petr Straka - Baie-Comeau Drakkar
LW - Christopher Clapperton - Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (2012 Prospect Camp Invitee)
G - Etienne Marcoux - Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (2012 Prospect Camp Invitee)
The Drakkar and Armada finished second and fourth respectively in the QMJHL. While neither team has had as impressive regular seasons as Portland or London both have done incredibly well in the QMJHL playoffs. Baie-Comeau has yet to lose a game, sweeping Sherbrooke and Victoriaville en route to the conference finals, while Blainville-Boisbriand (owned in part by Danny Briere and Flyers Director of Player Development Ian Laperriere) has only lost one game in the playoffs.
Straka, a former 2nd round pick of the Blue Jackets who the Flyers signed as a Free Agent a little over a week ago, led the Drakkar in points this season and is third in playoff scoring with 18 points (his 2.25 points per game is a playoff best). Clapperton, who many assumed would have been given a tryout with the Flyers before the season had the season started on time, has been almost as impressive leading the Armada with 17 points this playoff season. Marcoux, who started in net when the QMJHL All-Stars played the Russian Junior selects back in the fall, has played very well this post season and has not lost in regulation.
This is the closest match up involving any Flyers prospects (or at least some players on the Flyers radar). The Drakkar have been the stronger team this season but the Armada won the season series 2-1. This will certainly be an interesting match up.
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