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  4. title => "Why Ivan Provorov never plays soccer before a game and enjoys Claude Giroux in practice"
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  6. article_body => "<p>A lot of hockey players like to play soccer with each other in the hallways of an arena before a game.<\/p>\n<p>For players, it's a fun way to bond, loosen up and sharpen coordination.<\/p>\n<p>But you won't ever see Ivan Provorov kicking the ball with the boys. Not since early on in the defenseman's rookie year during 2016-17.<\/p>\n<p>As a 19-year-old, in his third career game, Provorov was a minus-5 and the Flyers lost to the Blackhawks,&nbsp;7-4. Provorov badly lost his footing on one Chicago goal and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/the700level\/captains-support-claude-giroux-consoles-rookie-ivan-provorov-after-blunder\" target=\"_blank\">Claude Giroux came over to uplift the teenager<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Provorov didn't play up to his high standards in October 2016 \u2014 and he still remembers it.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>My first year here, I think starting from the third game, I didn\u2019t really have my best four or five games in a row,\" Provorov said Wednesday in a video interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia's Taryn Hatcher. \"I played soccer, and I was like, \u2018I\u2019ve got to do something.\u2019 So I changed it up, stopped playing soccer, picked it up and started playing well, started playing my game, and I was like, \u2018I guess I\u2019m not touching the soccer ball anymore.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>As a joke, apparently the Flyers' equipment staff would occasionally&nbsp;hide the ball&nbsp;in Provorov\u2019s gear.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYeah, it drove me nuts,\" Provorov said with a laugh.&nbsp;\"I\u2019d be like, \u2018Hey, come get this out of my stall because I ain\u2019t touching it.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Hey, it has worked for Provorov.<\/p>\n<p>And Giroux still helps him. When asked which teammate he likes&nbsp;defending the least in practice, Provorov picked the Flyers' captain.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMaybe G because if he gets one by you, he doesn\u2019t stop talking about it,\" Provorov said. \"And lets you know, too.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Tough love \u2014 that's a good captain.<\/p>\n<p>How about Provorov's favorite teammate in practice?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cG, too, because when you do shut him down,&nbsp;you can let him know, too,\u201d Provorov said.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Love when the \ud83d\udd25rapid fire round\ud83d\udd25 leads to a good laugh <br><br>More on Ian Provorov\u2019s practice battles with Claude Giroux and pregame superstitions, click the blue words \u2014-&gt; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/2y87HMHVEB\">https:\/\/t.co\/2y87HMHVEB<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/8Fvswaro2B\">pic.twitter.com\/8Fvswaro2B<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Taryn Hatcher (@TarynNBCS) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TarynNBCS\/status\/1259214797167636480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 9, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n<p><strong>Subscribe and rate Flyers Talk: <\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/flyers-talk-a-philadelphia-flyers-podcast\/id1497383342\" target=\"_blank\">Apple Podcasts<\/a> | <a href=\"http:\/\/play.google.com\/music\/listen?u=0#\/ps\/I4q7bjepqw6wbbaca4ezrva264e\" target=\"_blank\">Google Play<\/a> | <a href=\"http:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/60iLyWd51VnD7JP7F459sw\" target=\"_blank\">Spotify<\/a> | <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stitcher.com\/podcast\/flyers-talk-a-philadelphia-flyers-podcast\" target=\"_blank\">Stitcher<\/a> | <a href=\"http:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/flyers-talk-a-philadelphia-flyers-podcast\" target=\"_blank\">Art19<\/a> | <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCXenWaHGZz4Ey4BObUUIyZQ\" target=\"_blank\">YouTube<\/a><\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/flyers-talk-a-philadelphia-flyers-podcast\/episodes\/cbf8754d-f14d-4d55-96fb-431ae55b19a1\/embed\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 200px; border: 0 none;\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe> \n<p><em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/smart.link\/5bb788a3d5b83?site_id=Web_NBCS_Philly&amp;creative_id=nbcsphi1356&amp;cp_4=www.nbcsports.com&amp;cp_1=washington&amp;cp_2=myteams-nbc-sports&amp;cp_3=nbcsphi1356\">Click here<\/a> to download the MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Flyers, Sixers and Phillies games easily on your device.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\"><strong>More on the Flyers<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/flyers\/2020-nhl-draft-profile-william-wallinder-scouting-report-prospect-egor-zamula\">The next Zamula? A package of size and skill could be there for Flyers<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/flyers\/flyers-college-prospect-noah-cates-rising-scott-sandelin-minnesota-duluth\">Flyers' best college prospect? Excitement building around ascension of Cates<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/flyers\/kevin-hayes-flyers-donate-lunch-philadelphia-first-responders-coronavirus-pandemic\">'Thank you so much' \u2014 Hayes, Flyers salute Philly first responders<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/flyers\/flyers-tickets-2019-20-season-schedule-NHL-suspension-coronavirus\">Flyers release update for fans with tickets to remaining 2019-20 games<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/flyers\/2020-nhl-draft-profile-will-flyers-go-defensive-route-first-round-justin-barron\">Could Flyers go defense in 1st round for second consecutive draft?<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n"
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Flyers

Flyers

A lot of hockey players like to play soccer with each other in the hallways of an arena before a game.

For players, it's a fun way to bond, loosen up and sharpen coordination.

But you won't ever see Ivan Provorov kicking the ball with the boys. Not since early on in the defenseman's rookie year during 2016-17.

As a 19-year-old, in his third career game, Provorov was a minus-5 and the Flyers lost to the Blackhawks, 7-4. Provorov badly lost his footing on one Chicago goal and Claude Giroux came over to uplift the teenager.

Provorov didn't play up to his high standards in October 2016 — and he still remembers it.

My first year here, I think starting from the third game, I didn’t really have my best four or five games in a row," Provorov said Wednesday in a video interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia's Taryn Hatcher. "I played soccer, and I was like, ‘I’ve got to do something.’ So I changed it up, stopped playing soccer, picked it up and started playing well, started playing my game, and I was like, ‘I guess I’m not touching the soccer ball anymore.’

As a joke, apparently the Flyers' equipment staff would occasionally hide the ball in Provorov’s gear.

“Yeah, it drove me nuts," Provorov said with a laugh. "I’d be like, ‘Hey, come get this out of my stall because I ain’t touching it.’”

 

Hey, it has worked for Provorov.

And Giroux still helps him. When asked which teammate he likes defending the least in practice, Provorov picked the Flyers' captain.

“Maybe G because if he gets one by you, he doesn’t stop talking about it," Provorov said. "And lets you know, too.”

Tough love — that's a good captain.

How about Provorov's favorite teammate in practice?

“G, too, because when you do shut him down, you can let him know, too,” Provorov said.

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