Ed Van Impe – Flyers/D (1967-68 to 1975-76). Ed Van Impe was the second captain in Flyers team history, wearing the “C” from 1968-1972. Van Impe was Calder Trophy (Rookie of the Year) runner-up (Bobby Orr) the year before the Flyers selected him from the Chicago Black Hawks in the NHL Expansion Draft. Van Impe played on both Flyers Stanley Cup championship teams. The gritty Van Impe once took a puck in the mouth, lost 6 teeth, and took 50 stitches to his lips and tongue… then finished the game. Van Impe is famous for his crushing check on Soviet Red Army winger Valeri Kharlamov during Super Series ’76 that led to the Soviets leaving the ice in protest. The three-time NHL All Star was inducted into the Flyers HOF in 1993.
Daily Archives: May 27, 2018
On This Date…
Flyers defenseman Ed Van Impe was born on this date, May 27th, in 1940 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Van Impe was the Flyers 2nd team captain, and played on both Flyers Stanley Cup Championship teams. Van Impe is also remembered for his hit on Soviet Red Army forward Valeri Kharlamov in the 1976 Super Series, prompting the Soviets to leave the ice. Van Impe won his 2nd Stanley Cup on his 35th birthday! Van Impe turns 78 today! Happy Birthday Eddie!
#9 Flyers Bob Kelly
Bob Kelly – Flyers/RW-LW (1971-80) Bob “the Hound” Kelly was a significant part of the Broad Street Bullies toughness. Kelly was not only one of the league’s most-feared enforcers, he, like teammate Dave Schultz, could also put the puck in the net. In his ten seasons in the orange and black, Kelly scored 14 or more goals five times and potted 22 in 1976-77. Kelly’s greatest moment was scoring the Stanley Cup-winning goal for the Flyers on May 27th, 1975 against the Buffalo Sabres in Buffalo. Kelly flew down the ice like a runaway train, and followed the puck around behind the net. The 5’10” Kelly out-hustled and out-muscled the 6’3” Sabre defenseman Jerry “King Kong” Korab, and came from behind the net and slid the puck past Sabre goalie Gerry Desjardins 11 seconds into the 3rd period of game 6. The Flyers would win the game 2-0 and win their 2nd Stanley Cup.
On This Date…
On May 27th, 1975 the Flyers defeated the Buffalo Sabres 2-0 in game six of the Stanley Cup Final to win their 2nd consecutive Stanley Cup Championship. Flyers Bob “the hound” Kelly out-muscled Sabres defenseman King Kong Korab behind the net and slid the puck behind Sabres netminder Gerry Desjardins just 11 seconds into the 3rd period. Bill Clement added an insurance goal late in the period, and Bernie Parent shut the door on the Sabres. The series had a very unusual game #3. Sabres center Jim Lorentz killed a bat with his stick, and the hot day in Buffalo, coupled with no air conditioning in The Aud made for a foggy ice surface. Buffalo won the fog game 4-2, but the Flyers won the series 4-2. Bernie Parent was awarded his 2nd Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.