Nice article about Umberger... http://www.gatewaynewspapers.com/woo...rogress/77440/ Umberger key part of Flyers' future success
By Michael Love, Sports Editor
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
While still in high school, Plum's R.J. Umberger decided to leave home and pursue a dream of playing at the highest levels of ice hockey.
He had established himself locally with the Plum High School hockey team, as well as with the Pittsburgh Hornets amateur squad.
Almost a decade later, Umberger is making things happen on the ice for the Philadelphia Flyers.
Although the Flyers are having a difficult season (they have the worst record in the NHL), Umberger has established himself as a key offensive threat and is considered by many experts as the foundation for future Flyers teams.
Umberger debuted with the Flyers in November of 2005 and recorded 20 goals and 18 assists in 73 games in the 2005-06 season.
Through 77 games this season, Umberger has 16 goals and 12 assists (28 points).
Two of his goals were shorthanded and two others came on the power play.
He hopes to make the Flyers' final games of the season positive ones.
Philadelphia played Toronto last night and has games remaining against New Jersey, the New York Islanders and Buffalo.
His efforts are not lost on those who knew him so long ago.
"R.J. always trains hard," said Shaun Keller, a teammate of Umberger's at Plum and the current Mustang varsity ice hockey head coach.
"He is a consummate pro in the way he takes care of his body. He's a great role model for younger players."
Umberger came home four times this year to face the Pittsburgh Penguins, the team he rooted for growing up.
In those four games at Mellon Arena, all Penguin victories, he scored a goal and added three assists.
He tallied a goal to give the Flyers a 3-2 lead in the third period of the game in Pittsburgh in early March.
The Pens would eventually rally and win it in overtime.
"Each year, when the Penguins play the Flyers, I hope R.J. scores a couple goals, but I want the Penguins to win," Keller said.
"R.J. always seems to give the Penguins trouble. If he's not scoring a goal, he's making a play that leads to a goal."
Umberger's roots in Penguin hockey, Keller said, is why he's as successful as he is.
"He always talks about how he was a Penguin fan growing up," Keller said.
"Mario Lemieux was his idol. Lemieux is one of the main reasons R.J. started to play hockey."
Keller is looking forward to having Umberger come back to the area this summer to continue to work with young hockey players in the area.
"R.J.'s an incredibly giving person," Keller said.
"You hear stories about players finding success and becoming too big for the place where they grew up. R.J. is the exact opposite. He remembers where he came from."
glad the Flyers kept Umby around and didn't send him packing in an ill-begotten trade... next year will be good times 
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Umby a Key to Flyers Future 
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