PHILADELPHIA – One kid is getting his second chance.
The other one is getting his first.
On Monday morning, in part due to a number of injuries, the Flyers called up forwards Alex Bump and Cole Knuble from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Both did play in Monday night’s game against the Colorado Avalanche at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
The two players have gotten off to fast starts with the Flyers’ American Hockey League affiliate.
Bump, who made an impressive debut as a rookie with the Flyers last season, has endured a slow start in NHL competition this season and was sent to Allentown.
He’s responded the way the Flyers hoped he would. In fact, he was just named AHL Player of the Week after registering five goals/six points and leading the Phantoms to a 3-0-0 week.
Plus, Bump has a five-game goal streak going and seven goals in those five games.
For the Avalanche game, Bump played left wing on a fourth line with Denver Barkey at center and Knuble on right wing.
At the pre-game skate, Bump acknowledged an increased amount of ice time has helped get his game back on track.
“I think I kind of got away from my game up here,” said Bump, who did not register a point in the three previous games he played in Philadelphia. “So I think it was good to go there (the Phantoms) and find it.”
Bump, 22, is an all-purpose player who can help out in various situations, so his importance shouldn’t just be measured by his offensive output.
“Just play my game and help out any way I can,” Bump said. “It’s frustrating (to go to the AHL) but it is what it is.”
As for his lack of production in the NHL so far, Bump said he might be trying a bit too hard.
“It’s tough, it’s a mental game, too,” he said. “I was definitely overthinking it. Got to get away from that.”
Knuble, also 22, the son of former Flyer great Mike Knuble, was impressive in training camp and almost made the team for opening night. Like Bump, he worked on his game and now he’s getting rewarded for the hard work.
There’s plenty of excitement whenever a player makes his NHL debut. Mike and the family flew into town to take in the big event.
“Obviously I’ve been a fan of this team my whole life,” Cole said. “So it’s extra special.”
When Mike played for the Flyers, Cole was just a youngster but he still has fond memories of roaming the hallways of what was the Wells Fargo Center before it was renamed Xfinity Mobile Arena recently.
“I remember little things, like ‘The PECO POWER PLAY’!” Knuble said with a smile.
How disappointed was he when he didn’t make the opening night roster?
“I was, I trying to make the team,” he said. “I think once I got down to (Lehigh Valley), the staff was so great, the players were all very welcoming. I got to play in every situation. I really couldn’t complain too much. It was a lot of fun. We’ve got a good team down there.”
>Attacking practice
Porter Martone is the kind of player who is always looking to get better. He’s let it be known he wants to “attack” practice and turn it up a notch.
That was music to coach Rick Tocchet’s ears.
“I love that he said that,” the coach said. “It makes sense. He’s such a great kid. He understands it, he has to attack. Young guys can’t take practices off. We don’t have a lot of practices, so there’s a lot of development in those practices.
“So when he says that, that’s a great thing for us to hear. When he gets a little bit of success, you can kind of go the wrong road sometime and you have to stay on the same path. He’s working on some stuff, that’s good to see.”
>McDonald debuts
Hunter McDonald, called up from Lehigh Valley on Sunday, made his NHL debut on defense. He wore No. 19. He was paired with David Jiricek. Simon Benoit was a healthy scratch.
Tyson Foerster is still sidelined by a hand injury. Also out of the lineup were Travis Konecny, Rasmus Ristolainen and Cam York. Sean Couturier, banged up in Saturday’s game vs. Ottawa, dressed for the game. Jacob Gauthier was called up from the Phantoms and did play on a line with Couturier.
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