Flyers' Bobrovsky ends shutout drought

TORONTO - If you had taken a little trip to the corner bookmaker and - for entertainment purposes only, of course - asked for odds on a goaltender other than $51 million man Ilya Bryzgalov to break the Flyers' agonizing shutout drought, what would they have been?

We're guessing somewhere in the 500-1 range. Maybe more astronomical.

Leave it to Sergei Bobrovsky then, to pitch the Flyers' first shutout in any game - preseason, regular-season or playoff - since Michael Leighton held Montreal scoreless in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 22, 2010. You remember, the Year of the Seven Goalies?

Bobrovsky broke a drought that spanned 108 total games with a 4-0 blanking of the Maple Leafs as the Flyers opened their preseason in Toronto. The Flyers were the only team in the league without a shutout last season.

"It's easy to forget that he is still a very, very good goalie," Flyers goalie coach Jeff Reese said after the game. "He hit the proverbial wall last year. He played a lot of hockey. His game became a little inconsistent in the second half.

"He had rookie camp. Then training camp. Then he was trying to impress us, and used up a lot of energy. And all of a sudden, he was the No. 1 goalie for the Philadelphia Flyers when he really wasn't supposed to make the hockey club. He is going to learn how to pace himself."

Perhaps for Bobrovsky, who stopped all 27 shots in a full 60 minutes of work, last night's test was the beginning of a long audition for a role with a new club. The Flyers this summer tried to move Bobrovsky, who turned 23 yesterday, but couldn't find the right suitor. That could change with injuries, with poor starts, and with performances like last night's at the Air Canada Centre.

The Flyers have five goalies - Bryzgalov, Bobrovsky, Leighton, Johan Backlund and former first-round pick Jason Bacashihua - auditioning for four spots.

Leighton will likely be stashed in Adirondack, as an expensive insurance policy few teams are willing to pay for at $1.55 million. Backlund is on a one-way deal and will earn $850,000 regardless of where he plays. Bacashihua is a reclamation project who hasn't played in the NHL in more than 4 years.

And Bobrovsky, now the second-highest-paid backup in the NHL at $1.75 million, is not only tough on the salary cap but likely too good to play just 20-25 games (or fewer) behind Bryzgalov.

Bobrovsky, still requiring a Russian translator, was not available to speak after last night's game.

"I thought he looked like he was in midseason form," Reese said. "I thought he looked very relaxed, very under control. I liked the way he handled the puck. He's worked hard this camp."

He also is clearly more comfortable in the Flyers' locker room and living in the United States. This summer, Bobrovsky got married and improved his command of the English language.

"He is close to being comfortable," Reese said. "That's the thing that everyone forgets. He came from another country, a different culture, a different language, a different rink. He is a very smart guy. He is always looking for ways to improve."

So, where does that leave Bobrovsky on the depth chart? The truth is that for the Flyers, Bobrovsky has more value with another team than he does sitting on the Flyers' bench.

"He wants to play," Reese said. "He has a lot of pride. He's not just going to lay down."

Despite dressing just nine veterans, one more than the NHL minimum for a preseason contest, the Flyers took over with three second-period goals on just six shots. Matt Carle and James van Riemsdyk were the only skaters who also dressed for last season's final playoff game.

Zac Rinaldo, normally one for the rough stuff, wowed coach Peter Laviolette with a crafty backhand breakaway goal.

"I thought it was really solid, too many names to even list," Laviolette said. "It was a really good start to the season."

Sean Couturier, the Flyers' No. 8 overall pick last June, scored in his first-ever NHL preseason game. And Mike Testwuide, coming off a slow rookie season with the Phantoms, netted a nice goal in the slot. Toronto native Wayne Simmonds also scored in his first game as a Flyer.

Since the Flyers were in and out of Toronto in just a few hours, brothers Brayden and Luke Schenn and Blake and Phil Kessel spent no more than a few minutes with each other after their brothers-vs.-brothers battle . . . Ilya Bryzgalov is expected to make his first start tonight at the Wells Fargo Center against Toronto . . . Tough guy Tom Sestito dropped the gloves with ex-Flyer Joffrey Lupul . . . Ben Holmstrom and Oliver Lauridsen were last night's scratches.