Flyers will stick with Bryzgalov

PITTSBURGH - Sergei Bobrovsky is undefeated at the still-sparkling Consol Energy Center, having backstopped the Flyers to five straight wins over the Penguins in Pittsburgh, from the building's inaugural game on Oct. 7, 2010 until Sunday.

Over the last two seasons, Bobrovsky has rattled off a gaudy 5-0-0 record with a .925 save percentage and 2.40 goals-against average in Pittsburgh.

On Sunday, he made a career-high 43 saves.

But that doesn't mean Peter Laviolette would consider using Bobrovsky in a first-round series against the Penguins. Even after the game, Laviolette surprisingly squashed any dreams of someone other than Ilya Bryzgalov starting in net when the puck drops in Game 1.

Laviolette usually does not discuss lineups - especially starting goaltenders - in advance.

"Bob is a terrific goaltender," Laviolette said. "Right now, he's the guy that's in net. When 'Bryz' comes back, he will be the guy that we count on. To his credit, Bob has to stay sharp and be ready, because you never know what's going to happen.

"Bryz has, for me, solidified the No. 1 job. He's played well for us down the stretch, and I don't think that because he has a foot injury, that should be discounted."

Bryzgalov finished March 10-2-1, though he did it on the sidelines, thanks to a chip fracture in his right foot sustained on March 26. He practiced with the Flyers on Friday and is expected to be available for Tuesday's game against the Rangers.

Either way, Bobrovsky said he would remain ready. He is 2-0-1 in his three starts since Bryzgalov's injury, collecting a .914 save percentage.

"I would love to play here, I love playing against this team and I love playing in this building," Bobrovsky said with the help of a translator. "But it's not my decision. If the coaches decide to play me during the playoffs, obviously I will be on the ice and do my best."

As far as the Flyers' success in Pittsburgh, Laviolette chalked that up to the team's mouth-watering meal on the charter flight home after games. Dee Jay's BBQ Ribs and Grille delivers the food to the team's plane from Weirton, W. Va., a tradition Laviolette said started last season. It's a 45-minute haul from Weirton to the Pittsburgh airport.

Laviolette coached in the ECHL with the Wheeling (W. Va.) Nailers in 1997-98 before moving to the AHL.

The Flyers were just 13-27-8-3 at Pittsburgh's Mellon Arena in regular-season games from 1991-2009.

"Those ribs seem to be doing the trick," Laviolette said. "Whenever the ribs are ordered, we win. I want to thank Dee Jay's."

Both Sidney Crosby and Penguins coach Dan Bylsma made sure to voice their displeasure with Brayden Schenn's cross-check on Crosby with 4:42 left.

Schenn originally was given a penalty on the play, but he was absolved from 2 minutes after a video replay during the stoppage showed that Steve Sullivan's shot beat Sergei Bobrovsky.

"It's clearly a cheap shot, clearly a guy targeting another player," Bylsma said. "They weren't able to call the penalty, although they did call it. It was well after the whistle . . . on the way back to the bench. It couldn't be called because we scored a goal on that shift."

Crosby, the Penguins' captain, was skating in his 11th game since returning on March 15 from another concussion/neck injury. He collected two assists, making it the 39th time in 49 games against the Flyers he's scored at least one point.

"It was pretty cheap," Crosby said. "He skates 10 feet there in between the whistle. I don't know what he's doing. But if that's a sign of what's to come, we're going to be in for a pretty tough playoff series if that's where it ends up."

The Flyers were forced to play with just five defensemen over the final 48:25 after Nick Grossmann left the game with a lower-body injury.

Grossmann, 27, appeared to have a knee-to-knee collision with Penguins fourth liner Joe Vitale. Grossmann was slow skating off the ice.

According to Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren, Grossmann is listed as day-to-day. Laviolette told NBC Sports' Pierre McGuire during the game that he did not think Grossmann's injury was too serious and that he was "in good spirits."

Losing Grossmann for any amount of time would be tough for the Flyers, who are already without Andrej Meszaros until at least the second round of the playoffs. Grossmann's injury caused the other defensemen's minutes to skyrocket. Braydon Coburn logged a game-high 27:50 in ice time, once triple-shifting in the third period.

The Flyers are a staggering 14-5-2 since Grossmann was acquired from Dallas via trade on Feb. 18. Grossmann has helped change the Flyers' defensive attitude clearing bodies in front of the net.

Claude Giroux posted his 61st assist, making him just the eighth Flyer in history to hit the 60-assist mark in one season . . . CBC's Tim Wharnsby reported that the Flyers have convinced University of Maine defenseman Matt Mangene to leave school early to sign an entry-level deal. Paul Holmgren said he could not confirm the report. Mangene, 23, netted a staggering 34 points in 40 games for Maine from the blue line . . . Holmgren said Danny Briere is "fine," though Briere immediately went to the locker room with 1:03 left after the hit from Joe Vitale that started the end-of-game fireworks.