AUG. 18, 2023 — 8:30 AM EDT
Today marks the start of the annual Flyers Alumni Fantasy Camp at the University of Pennsylvania. After tonight’s opening reception at Level 28 (at AKA University City), all four participating teams will have practices tomorrow morning at the Class of 1923 Arena, followed in the afternoon by the first two games in the yearly Alumni Fantasy Cup tournament: Team KLYR (orange jerseys) vs. Team Neumann (white) at 2 p.m. EDT and Team River Rock (black) vs. Team Toyota (camouflage) at 3:30 p.m. EDT.
This year’s Alumni coaches: Brad Marsh, Mark Recchi and Joe Watson (Team KLYR), Mark Howe and Dave Poulin (Team River Rock Academy), Keith Jones, Bob Kelly, Glenn “Chico” Resch (Team Neumann University) and the duo of Ian Laperriere and John LeClair (Team KLYR). Training staff: Dave Culp, Joe Rivera, Turk Evers, Rob Pomroy, Dave “Sudsy” Settlemyre.
As with last year, I will be writing a day-by-day camp journal for FlyersAlumni.net. Last year, on the second evening of camp, the Flyers Alumni coaches and camp participants attended a Phillies vs. Mets game in a party suite at Citizens Bank Park, with various Phillies Alumni stopping by to hang out with our group. This year, with the Phillies on the road, the Alumni group will head to a mystery location. I’ve been let in the secret but can only say that it’ll be a pretty cool experience.
This year’s team rosters:
Team KLYR (orange jerseys)
00 D William Thorrington (Perkasie, PA)
5 D Alberto Maiocco (Olivette, MO)
9 F Jim Grohol (Havertown, PA)
10 F Tommy Neugebauer (Sugarland, TX)
13 F Dave Rosenthal (Richmond, TX)
14 D Steven Olson (Saskatoon, SK)
16 F Thomas Scutti (Houston, TX)
23 G Amit Patel (Blue Bell, PA)
25 D Scott Radman (Souderton, PA)
28 F Zach Stahl (Brockport, NY)
30 G Glenn Moir (Brookhaven, PA)
37 D Dave Street (Chalfont, PA)
48 F Greg Stahl (Brockport, NY)
61 F Tom Gates (Pipersville, PA)
73 F Ben Wylie (Ramara, ON)
91 D Curtis Peddle (Conception Bay S., NL)
92 F Alex Monti (Turnersville, NJ)
Coaches: Ian Laperriere, John LeClair
Team Neumann (white jerseys)
3 F James Cox (Glen Burnie, MD)
6 D Matt Steinberg (Fort Washington, PA)
9 F Jim Otonichar (Burlington, ON)
12 D Ed Doxer (Oak Hill, VA)
13 G Ben Yuter (Plymouth Meeting, PA)
15 F John Baumgartner (Wanaque, NJ)
16 D Todd Hickman Brantford, ON
20 F Mark Jaffe (Cherry Hill, NJ)
21 F Mike Zuccato (Campbellville, ON)
23 F Fran Walmsley (Glen Mills, PA)
27 F Jordan Yuter (Plymouth Meeting, PA)
29 D Fred Jaffe (Philadelphia, PA)
31 G Phil Brady (King of Prussia, PA)
49 D Howard Jaffe (Ambler, PA)
72 F Jay Goodman (Blue Bell, PA)
81 F Brian Wiechec (Wyoming, PA)
82 D Rob Deering (Delanco, NJ)
Coaches: Keith Jones, Bob Kelly, Chico Resch
Team River Rock Academy (black jerseys)
7 D Lupo Dion (Yamhill, OR)
8 D Dave Nawrocki (Sellersville, PA)
9 F James Liuzza (Barrington, NJ)
12 F Brian George (Hanover Park, IL)
13 F Michael Flanagan (Lloyd Harbor, NY)
16 F Ron DeBrigida (Phoenix, AZ)
17 D Paul Kelley (Arlington, TN)
18 D Brett Cole (Lancaster, PA)
21 D Marc Wiczkowski (Lititz, PA)
22 F Steve Capoferri (Lancaster, PA)
26 F Olivier Pelletier (Lititz, PA)
27 F Jack Diamond (N. Fort Myers, FL)
32 G Brendan Flanagan (Babylon, NY)
35 G Jim Flanagan (Naples, FL)
68 F Matt Berbeza (Wilmington, DE)
81 F John Donnelly (Lancaster, PA)
93 F John Romano (Castle Rock, CO)
Coaches: Mark Howe and Dave Poulin
Team Toyota (camo jerseys)
1 G Dan Rieber (New York, NY)
2 D Brian McElwain (Surf City, NC)
3 F Jim Valentine (Willow Grove, PA)
9 F Mark Guensch (Castle Rock, CO)
17 F Richard Chaput (Pembroke, ON)
19 F James Maenner (Drexel Hill, PA)
21 F John Hughes (Kutztown, PA)
25 F Jacob Jackson (Faribault, MN)
31 D Geoff Patterson (Cobden, ON)
44 D Ron Quinn (Danbury, CT)
48 D Thomas LaCorte (Philadelphia, PA)
55 F Roger Burnish (Leesport, PA)
56 G Chris Schultz (Baltimore, MD)
65 D Brian Burke (Wilmington, DE)
67 D Brian Archer (Vancouver, WA)
77 F Andrew Maenner (Philadelphia, PA)
97 F Ronald Moore (Danbury, CT)
Coaches: Brad Marsh, Mark Recchi, Joe Watson
AUG. 18, 2023 — 10:00 PM EDT
Just got back to the Study hotel from the opening reception at AKA University City. It’s always a fun time, catching up with old friends and making some new one from across North America. When the Flyers Alumni visited Russia in February 2017, I roomed with Dave Culp. Seeing Culpy at Fantasy Camp each year is something I look forward to each summer.
Most of the Alumni coaches at camp have coached at previous Fantasy Camps. The lone first-time coach at the event is longtime NHL goalie and broadcaster Glenn “Chico” Resch. It was especially fun hearing Chico sharing stories from his playing days and talking goaltending with Dan Rieber, who has become an regular at Camp. It was also fun meeting a couple of transplanted locals who now live in Texa
CAMP PROFILE: GEOFF PATTERSON
A native of Cobden, Ontario, Team Toyota defenseman Geoff Patterson is a lifelong Flyers fan. While other kids gravitated to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Geoff was partial to Bobby Clarke and the orange and black.
“Clarkie, to me, was the ultimate leader, and the ultimate Flyer,” Patterson said.
On the final day of the 2022 edition of the 12 Days of Christmas, the Flyers Alumni board selected Geoff’s entry as the winner of our contest to win one free registration spot for the 2023 Flyers Alumni Fantasy Camp.
” I couldn’t believe it when I was picked,” Patterson said. “What an incredible experience this camp is! A great group of guys, the chance to be coached by players you watched for years, and it’s the Flyers. Just a lot of fun.”
Patterson,, 60, is a retired manager from the Parks and Recreation Department, who is active in playing senior hockey. Geoff serves as the communications director and the play-by-play radio broadcaster for the CCHL’s Pembroke Lumber Kings. An outdoor sporting enthusiast, Geoff enjoys paddling, fishing and hiking.
Geoff recalls that former Flyers forward Dainius Zubrus got his start with the Lumber Kings before he was drafted by the Flyers in the first round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.
“You could tell right away that Zubrus was going to play in the NHL,” Patterson said of the player, who went on to a 20-year career in the NHL. “He could do things physically and play with a natural skill that was over and beyond anyone else on the ice.”
AUG. 19, 2023
After breakfast at the Class of 1923 Arena, each of the four participating teams in the Fantasy Cup tour stepped onto the ice for practice sessions ahead of their respective games in the afternoon. Team KLYR (orange) went first from 10:00 a.m. EDT to 10:45. Team Neumann University was up next from 11:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. EDT. Team Toyota (grey practice sweaters) took the ice from noon to 12:45 a.m. EDT. Finally, Team River Rock (black) had their session from 1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. EDT. After the ice was resurfaced again, it was time for the first of the day’s two games.
TEAM KLYR 8 – TEAM NEUMANN 7
Team KLYR jumped out to early leads of 3-1 and 5-2 as Greg Stahl and Zach Stahl accounted for their team’s first four goals, and Zach Stahl assisted on the fifth. Team Neumann pushed back for a late first-period goal to narrow the gap to 5-3. In the second period, Team Neumann struck four times in taking a brief 7-6 edge. Team KLYR’s Zach Stahl re-knotted the score on the power play. In the third period, Team KLYR’s Ben Wyile tallied on a rebound for what proved to the game-winning goal at 8:22.
For Team Neumann, Mark Jaffe led the way with a hat trick and an assist for a four-point game. John Baumgartner tallied twice, while Jordan Yuter collected a pair of assists. Two apparent goals — one by Team Neumann in the second period and one by Team KLYR in the third — were waved off by the officials.
At 12:47 of third period, Baumgartner was shaken up in a collision at the Team KLYR blueline with teammate Jordan Yuter. Baumgarter was unable to put weight on one leg and needed assistance to leave the ice. In the final 14 seconds, Team KLYR goalie Amish Patel made a clutch save to nail down the win for his side.
1st period
KLYR (1-0): Greg Stahl 1st (Dave Rosenthal, Jim Grohol) 8:56
Neumann (1-1): John Baumgartner 1st (Jordan Yuter) 11:26
KLYR (2-1): Greg Stahl 2nd (Ben Wylie) 11:47
KLYR (3-1): Zach Stahl 1st (Jim Grohol) 12:16
Neumann (3-2): Mark Jaffe 1st (Matt Steinberg) 13:07
KLYR (4-2): Zach Stahl 2nd (unassisted) 14:02
KLYR (5-2): Jim Grohol 1st (Zach Stahl) 14:24
Neumann (5-3): Fran Walmsley 1st (unassisted) 14:53
Penalties
KLYR: Bench (too many men) 2:56
2nd period
Neumann (5-4): Mark Jaffe 2nd (15 27) 1:11
Neumann (5-5): John Baumgartner 2nd (Jordan Yuter, Mark Jaffe) 2:20
KLYR (6-5): Alex Monti 1st (Jim Grohol, Zach Stahl) 6:03
Neumann (6-6): Mark Jaffe 3rd (John Baumgartner) 6:15
Neumann (7-6): Mike Zuccato 1st (Fran Walmsley) 12:50
KLYR (7-7): Zach Stahl 3rd (Ben Wylie) 14:01 PPG
Penalties
KLYR: Matt Steinberg (cross-checking) 12:33
KLYR: Bench (too many men) 14:01
3rd period
KLYR (8-7): Ben Wylie 1st (Dave Rosenthal) 8:22
Penalties
None
TEAM TOYOTA 5 – TEAM RIVER ROCK 3
Team Toyota seemed to be on the ropes heading into the second period. They trailed 2-0 and needed strong goaltending to stay in the game. In the second period, a pair of closely spaced goals turned the tide, and Team Toyota forged ahead on a Jacob Jackson goal. In the third period, Team Toyota’s lead grew to 5-2 before a late River Rock goal reduced the final gap to two goals.
1st period
River Rock (1-0): Michael Flanagan 1st (Lupo Dion) 2:59
River Rock (2-0): Marc Wiczkowski 1st (Mark Berbeza) 11:44
Penalties
None
2nd period
Toyota (2-1): Mark Guensch 1st (Roger Burnish) 2:28
Toyota (2-2): Richard Chaput 1st (Jim Valentine, Thomas LaCorte) 2:56
Toyota (3-2): Jacob Jackson 1st (Brian McElwain, Mark Geunsch) 7:59
Penalties
None
3rd period
Toyota (4-2) Jacob Jackson 2nd (Mark Guensch) 2:54
Toyota (5-2) Mark Guensch 2nd (unassisted) 10:16
River Rock (5-3): Jack Diamond 1st (John Donnelly, Lupo Dion) 13:34
Penalties
None
Aug. 19, 2023: 10:00 PM EDT
Before the start of Camp, Flyers Alumni president Brad Marsh promised camp attendees a special surprise event for the evening of August 19. Our destination: the historic USS New Jersey — the largest battleship in history, serving our country from World War II until the Gulf War after being constructed — for a guided tour of the ship, drinks and dinner on deck.
I was in a group led by our tour guide and US Navy veteran Danny Isaacs, who was extremely knowledgeable about the battleship’s entire history and told us in detail about what his life (and that of his fellow crewmen who served about the New Jersey) was really like on a day-to-day basis. It was an incredible experience, just to be aboard such a vital piece of our country’s 20th century military history and see everything up close. It’s a good reminder of the sacrifices that generations of our enlisted men have made. Throughout its long history of dangerous missions, only one crewman died aboard the battleship but life aboard was grueling, demanding and rather uncomfortable. Creature comforts were sparse at best, especially in the first few decades of ship’s history.
CAMP PROFILE: THE MAENNER FAMILY
Flyers Warriors player Andrew Maenner arranged a special 50th birthday present for his dad, Jim. The Maenners are both attending this year’s Fantasy Camp and are teammates on Team Toyota. During Saturday night’s outing aboard the USS New Jersey, Flyers Hall of Fame defenseman and Team Toyota co-coach Joe Watson caught up with the Maenners. They discussed what the camp experience has been like and how the once-in-a-lifetime gift from son to father came about.
AUG 20, 2023
TEAM KLYR 8 – TEAM TOYOTA 1
Team KLYR improved to 2-0-0 in the Fantasy Cup tournament, exploding for five unanswered goals in the second period blow the game wide open on the way to an 8-1 rout of Team Toyota (1-1-0). The story of the first period was Team Toyota goalie Dan Rieber, who limited Team KLYR to a Steven Olson power play goal late in the stanza. Rieber denied the dangerous Zach Stahl on a breakaway opportunity. Stahl later hit the post on the shot from the right circle outside the hash marks.
The floodgates opened in the second period as both Zach Stahl and Greg Stahl tallied for Team KLYR, Ben Wylie collected the first two goals of an eventual hat trick and Jim Grohol notched his second and third points of a three-point game (1g, 2a). Richard Chaput, who had a frustrating game and also was favoring his right shoulder in the third period, broke up KLYR’s shutout bid in the third period.
1st period
KLYR (1-0) Steven Olson 1st (Jim Grohol) 14:14 PPG
Penalties:
Toyota: Richard Chaput (tripping) 14:08
2nd period
KLYR (2-0): Zach Stahl 4th (unassisted) 3:15
KLYR (3-0): Ben Wylie 2nd (Dave Rosenthal) 4:08
KLYR (4-0): Greg Stahl 3rd (Jim Grohol, Alex Monti) 9:31
KLYR (5-0): Jim Grohol 2nd (Steven Olson, Zach Stahl) 13:23
KLYR (6-0): Ben Wylie 3rd (Greg Stahl, Alberto Maiocco) 13:53
Penalties
Toyota: Geoff Patterson (interference) 9:59
3rd period
KLYR (7-0): Ben Wylie 4th (Scott Radman) 2:11
KLYR (8-0): Zach Stahl 5th (Alberto Maiocco, William Thorrington) 5:03
Toyota (8-1): Richard Chaput 1st (Brian Burke) 6:44
Penalties
Toyota: Richard Chaput (roughing) 5:03
Toyota: Thomas LaCorte (unsportsmanlike conduct) 5:03
Toyota: Richard Chaput (roughing) 10:50
KLYR: Alberto Maiocco (tripping) 13:38
TEAM NEUMANN 7 – TEAM RIVER ROCK 0
After losing a heartbreaker in their opening game against Team KLYR, Team Neumann stormed past Team River Rock, 7-0, to even their tournament mark at 1-1-0. Team River Rock dropped to 0-2-0. Mike Zaccato punished River Rock for four goals and an assist. Brian Wiechec notched a pair of goals, and Mark Jaffe collected three helpers after notching a hat trick in the game against Team KLYR. In net, Phil Brady and Ben Yuter combined for a shutout. Yuter made a sprawling save with 23;2 seconds on the clock to preserve the shutout victory.
1st period
Neumann (1-0) Brian Wiechec 1st (Mike Zuccato)
Neumann (2-0) Matt Steinberg 1st (Mark Jaffe, Fran Walmsley) 5:36
Neumann (3-0) Mike Zuccato 1st 11:16
Penalties
River Rock: John Falinski (hooking) 1:36
2nd period
Neumann (4-0) Mike Zuccato 2nd (Fran Walmsley) 8: 56
Neumann (5-0) Mike Zuccato 3rd (Mark Jaffe) 10:44
Neumann (6-0) Mike Zuccato 4th (Mark Jaffe) 12:00
Penalties
None
3rd period
Neumann (7-0) Brian Wiechec 2nd (Mike Zuccato) 6:12
Penalties
River Rock: Mark Wiczkowksi (roughing) 6:45
TEAM KLYR 4 – TEAM RIVER ROCK 3
Team KLYR (3-0-0) secured a spot in Monday’s Fantasy Cup championship game with a x-x over winless Team River Rock Academy (0-3-0) in the first of two afternoon games at the Class of 1923 Arena on Sunday. Team KLYR grabbed a quick lead in the first period and never looked back, although Team River Rock stayed competitive on the scoreboard, narrowing 2-0 and 4-1 gaps to 2-1 and 4-2. Zach Stahl notched his tournament leading sixth goal and Dave Rosenthal had a multi-point afternoon. Team KLYR goalie Amit Patel stepped for a pair of nice saves on a second period goal. In the third period, Patel denied a Brian George shot from the right circle. Speedy offensive defenseman Marc Wiczkowski had all three Team River Rock goals. Through the team’s first three games, Wiczkowski was credited with four of the five combined goals his team scored.
1st period
KLYR (1-0) Dave Rosenthal 1st (Glenn Moir) 1:14
KLYR (2-0) Jim Grohol 3rd (Zach Stahl, Curtis Peddle) 10:43
River Rock (2-1) Marc Wiczkowski 2nd (Matt Berbeza, Dave Nawrocki) 14:03
Penalties
None
2nd period
KLYR (3-1): Ben Wylie 5th (Dave Rosenthal) 4:56
KLYR (4-1): Zach Stahl 6th (Scott Radman) 9:05
Penalties
KLYR: Dave Street (tripping) 2:01
River Rock: Dave Nawrocki (hooking) 13:08
3rd period
River Rock (4-2): Marc Wiczkowski 3rd (unassisted) 3:24
River Rock (4-3): Marc Wiczkowski 4th (Olivier Pelletier) 14:49 6-on-5
Penalties
KLYR: Tom Gates (holding) 11:10
TEAM NEUMANN 8 – TEAM TOYOTA 4
Team Neumann (2-1-0) secured a spot in the Fantasy Cup championship game, as they battled through a hard-fought victory against Team Toyota (1-2-0). Team Toyota goaltender Dan Rieber made numerous big saves in the first period, although the two sides traded off three goals apiece. Team Neumann’s Mark Jaffe responded to getting denied on a penalty shot as he tried to cut to the right post by later notching a pair for first period goals. Andrew Maenner had a goal and assist for Team Toyota in the opening stanza.
In a feisty and penalty-filled second period, Team Neumann forged ahead, 4-3, on a shorthanded goal. Mike Zuccato provided some insurance early in the third period. At the 4:01 mark of the third period, Team Toyota’s Jacob Jackson (two goals) awkwardly went into the end boards. He needed assistance to leave the ice. Team Neumann pulled away as the third period progressed.
1st period
Neumann (0-0): Mark Jaffe 2:57 PS — unsuccessful
Neumann (1-0): Jim Otonchar 1st (Matt Steinberg, Todd Hickman) 3:24
Toyota (1-1): Jacob Jackson 3rd (Ron Moore) 4:09
Toyota (2-1): Jacob Jackson 4th (Andrew Maenner) 6:53
Neumann (2-2) Mark Jaffe 4th (Ed Doxer)10:33
Toyota (3-2) Andrew Maenner 1st (JIm Maenner) 13:06 SHG
Neumann (3-3): Mark Jaffe 5th (Mike Zuccato, Fred Jaffe) 13:35
Penalties
Toyota: Geoff Patterson (tripping) 11:51
2nd period
Neumann (4-3): Mike Zuccato 5th (unassisted) 12:54 SHG
Penalties:
Neumann: Fred Jaffe (roughing) 4:44
Neumann: (roughing) 11:20
Toyota: Jim Valentine (roughing) 11:20
Neumann: Fran Walmsley (holding) 11:25
Neumann: Jordan Yuter (roughing) 11:50
Toyota: Ron Moore (roughing) 12:36
Neumann; Fred Jaffe (roughing) 12:36
Toyota: Roger Burnish (slashing) 14:54
3rd period
Neumann (5-3) Jim Otonichar 2nd (Mike Zuccato) 1:54
Neumann (6-3) Brian WIechec 2nd (Jordan Yuter) 7:54
Neumann (7-3): James Cox 1st (Mark Jaffe) 8:37
Toyota (7-4) Richard Chaput (Jacob Jackson)
Neumann (8-4) Mike Zuccato (Todd Hickman) 13:20
Penalties
Toyota: Andrew Maenner (slashing) 0:55
Neumann: Matt Steinberg (hooking) 2:24
Toyota: Bench (too many men) 4:50
Toyota: Thomas LaCorte hooking) 13:35
CAMP PROFILE: THE YUTERS
Aug. 21, 2023
Consolation Game: Team Toyota 1 – Team River Rock 1 (tie)
Tem River Rock was unable to capitalize on three power play opportunities in a scoreless first period as goalie Chris Schultz and company held River Rock in check. At the other end of the ice, Jim Flanagan denied a shorthanded scoring bid. Team Toyota finally got their first power play chance with 3:08 remaining in the 15-minute period. That, too, failed to result in a goal.
In the second period, the teams traded off goals by Lupo Dion for River Rock and a breakaway five-goal tally by Team Toyota’s Brian Burke. Dan Rieber took over in goal for Team Toyota at 7:53 of the stanza. Team Toyota hit the post at 12:30. With 1:07 left in the period, Team River Rock iced the puck on a pass that narrowly missed connections with forward Brian George (who’d have been home free) near the red line.
In the third period, Rieber made three good saves in the first five minutes, including a glove save as he was on the ice. At the other end, Jim Flanagan denied a fast-developing play off a faceoff. With a little over two minutes remaining, Rieber made back-to-back saves on Team River Rock’s most dangerous attacker: defenseman Marc Wiczkowski. Team Toyota had a 2-on-1 in the final 40 seconds but Flanagan denied a right wing shot from Ron Moore. The game ended in a 1-1 deadlock. Team Toyota (1-2-1) finished third in the tourney, while Team River Rock (0-3-1) finished fourth.
1st period
No scoring
Penalties
Toyota: Brian McElwain (holding) 0:39
Toyota: Brian Archer (roughing) 6:21
Toyota: Thomas LaCorte (hooking) 8:27
River Rock: Paul Kelley (interference) 11:52
2nd period
River Rock (1-0): Lupo Dion 1st (Marc Wiczkowski) 1:45
Team Toyota (1-1): Brian Burke 1st (unassisted) 8:20
Penalties
None
3rd period
No scoring
Penalties
Team River Rock Lupo Dion (tripping) 13:47
Championship Game: Team KLYR 5 – Team Neumann 3
A pair of first period goals by Mark Jaffe (6th and 7th) spurred a three-goal lead for Team Neumann in the first period after Rick Walmsley opened the scoring. Checked tightly in the first period, Greg and Zach Stahl broke loose in the second period, as goals by Alex Monti (on a Greg Stahl rebound) and Zach Stahl (7th of the tournament) narrowed the gap to 3-2. With 1:13 left in the second period, Jim Grohol (from Zach Stahl) knotted the score at 3-3, sending the game to the third period in a deadlock.
Team KLYR forged ahead, 4-3, with 11:28 remaining in the game on a rising left point shot by Alberto Maiocco (assisted by William Thorrington and Zach Stahl).Amit Patel made a very good save to preserve the lead with about 2:15 left, and then Team KLYR sealed the championship with a Zach Stahl empty-net goal (8th). Note: The game sheet unavailable due to a browser shutdown in the second period.
Congratulations to the 2023 Flyers Alumni Fantasy Cup champion Team KLYR!!!!
