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Flyers’ goalie prospect suffers whiplash injury

Niko Hovinen, Danny Briere

Philadelphia Flyers goalie prospect Niko Hovinen, lef of Finland, and Danny Briere take a break during an informal hockey practice at the team’s training facility, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2012, in Voorhees, N.J. The league locked out its players at last weekend, its fourth shutdown since 1992. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)

AP

When it comes to goalies, Philly can’t catch a break.

That’s the word out of the Flyers’ ECHL affiliate in Trenton, as 24-year-old Finnish netminding prospect Niko Hovinen suffered a neck/whiplash injury in the Titans’ 3-1 win over Reading on Wednesday.

CSN Philadelphia’s Tim Panaccio reports Hovinen’s left arm and shoulder were wrapped after the game, and got word from Flyers GM Paul Holmgren that Hovinen is day-to-day and will be reevaluated this weekend.

For those unfamiliar with him, Hovinen’s an interesting character. He’s a massive physical presence (6-foot-7) that was once a promising talent, taken by Minnesota in the 5th round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

Then, after failing to latch on with the Wild and falling off the radar, he burst back onto the scene in 2010 with SM-liiga club Pelicans, posting two solid seasons (in 2011-12 he played in 41 games, posting a 2.26 GAA and .920 save percentage.)

Last May, he signed a three-year entry-level deal with the Flyers.

He was expected to play with AHL Adirondack during the lockout but, according to Panaccio, “looked terrible” in the Phantoms preseason opener and was sent to the ECHL.