Inside the Flyers: Bryzgalov finding his game
Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov looks as if he is finally starting to get his mojo back. Or as the Five Man Electrical Band put it, long before Bryzgalov was born:
Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov looks as if he is finally starting to get his mojo back.
Or as the Five Man Electrical Band put it, long before Bryzgalov was born:
Sign, sign, everywhere a sign . . .
Sign: Bryzgalov stopped four of five shots as the Flyers actually won a shootout (Stop the presses!) in Calgary last week.
Sign: After allowing the obligatory first goal, Bryzgalov was razor-sharp in a 1-0 loss to San Jose on Tuesday.
Sign: Bryzgalov made several quality stops to keep the Flyers within striking distance in the first period, and they finally got their vaunted offense untracked - they had been shut out in two of their previous three games - in Thursday's 6-3 win over the Islanders.
Sign, sign, everywhere a sign . . .
"He looks very much in charge of his net right now," coach Peter Laviolette said.
Bryzgalov's body language is much better, and he seems more in control - being aggressive and challenging shooters when necessary, and also knowing when he needs to sit back and be patient.
In other words, he is starting to resemble the consistent goalie who played in Phoenix.
Bryzgalov, however, continues to struggle early in games. He has allowed teams to score on their first or second shots in the last three games. Not all of the goals were his fault, but first-period woes have caused the Flyers to play catch-up more times than not.
The Flyers have allowed the first goal in nine straight games - and in 12 of their last 13 contests.
Playing from behind is draining - and a recipe for a quick playoff exit.
In their recent four-game road trip, the Flyers had a lead for 6 minutes and 43 seconds of the 249:16.
In the last 36 games, the Flyers have led just once after the first 10 minutes.
Once in 36 games. Think about that.
Starting Sunday night in Washington, the Flyers have 19 regular-season games left to rectify the problem.
The enigmatic Capitals, by the way, may face the Flyers in the opening round of the playoffs. The teams have split their two games thus far, with the Caps scoring a 5-2 win at the Wells Fargo Center, and the Flyers returning the favor with a 5-1 triumph in Washington.
Washington could finish as high as third if it wins the Southeast Division - or it could miss the playoffs entirely. If the Caps sneak into the playoffs and are given a chance to redeem their awful regular season, they could be a dangerous, born-again team.
Remember how the Flyers responded to a similar situation in 2010? Well, that could be the Caps this season.
From here, the Flyers' most favorable first-round matchup would be Florida, which is battling Washington and Winnipeg for first in the tightly packed Southeast. Hence, a win over Washington on Sunday would be a small step toward helping the Panthers.
No matter which team the Flyers face in the first round, the outlook will continue to improve if Bryzgalov has his act together. He stopped talking to the media for two games on the last road trip, apparently trying to regain his focus. His brief Steve Carlton impersonation was not, the Flyers insisted, ordered by the coaching staff. It was Bryz's decision, period.
Threatened by a fine from the NHL, Bryzgalov (with some coaxing from the Flyers front office) changed his stance and begrudgingly shared his thoughts after games, though he seems much more restrained in his comments.
Asked if he felt more confident lately after Thursday's win over the Islanders, Bryzgalov replied: "I don't want to talk about that."
The 31-year-old goalie was happy to talk about his team, but didn't want to disclose his inner thoughts. But clearly he is no longer lost in the woods, and he is not tweeting photos of his tea-filled thermos - like he did earlier this season to show what would comfort him while he was benched for the Winter Classic.
For the media, a less-outgoing Bryzgalov is disappointing, because the man can be hysterically funny in a deadpan sort of way.
For the Flyers, though, his more subdued personality could be a plus - perhaps even a sign. Bryzgalov seems more in control of his emotions, on and off the ice, and that figures to help him down the stretch and into the playoffs.
Sign, sign, everywhere a sign . . .
Inside the Flyers: Bryz by the Numbers
As the Flyers head down the stretch, they will lean heavily on goalie Ilya Bryzgalov. Here are his numbers:
In wins (24 GP): 2.22 GAA .921 save %
In losses (21 GP): 3.47 GAA .869 save %
Pre-All-Star Game: 18-10-4, 2.99 GAA .895 save %
Post-All-Star Game: 5-3-2, 2.21 GAA .911 save %
Home: 12-5-2, 2.79 GAA .900 save %
Road: 11-8-2, 2.79 GAA .897 save %
- Sam CarchidiEndText