The Shootout - What's the Excuse Now?

[OH1FlyersFan]

You'd think the shootout would be a great opportunity to highlight the awesome, stellar, magnificent, $51 million skills of your number one, franchise goalie. After all, it is one on one, goalie versus shooter. No traffic, no skates to ricochet off of, no defense that could possibly break down and miss an assignment. Just the shooter, the puck, and the goalie. Nice three goals Bryz let in there. Is stopping even one too much to ask for???

[TedZep]

Is stopping even one too much to ask for???

Why yes, yes it is.

Fact is, Brygalov is not The One, even if he is being paid like he is.

[brelic]

Yesterday, I did a youtube search for "bryzgalov great save" and you know what came up? ONE game-changing save against Thornton, and a bunch of really cool interviews where he says things people think are clever.

[Howie58]

Greetings:

I thought Bryz was extremely passive in the SO. He didn't challenge one shooter. I don't know if that is cockiness or stupidity.

Best,

Howie

[phlfly]

Well, Flyers have/had always problem with shoot out. I knew before it started we lost. It's a shame, but this a fact, but in other hand Flyers slept thru the second period, so lost a game, that game should be lost anyway. The team has poor defense, collapsing a front of the goalie all time, first pass is terrible, too much individual creation. If they are not address deense ASAP, they are in trouble.

[Lindbergh31]

Greetings:

I thought Bryz was extremely passive in the SO. He didn't challenge one shooter. I don't know if that is cockiness or stupidity.

Best,

Howie

Hey Howie,

Seeing how it was Snider behind signing Bryzagolv and if the trend continues, we as Flyers fans can only hope that the new CBA will include a one time buyout of any contract on the team and it doesn't count against the cap going forward. Right now my choice would be correcting the mistake of signing this guy to a nine year deal based on the way he's played so far.

[canoli]

Yep - and "passive" is being nice about it. He was frozen. Just stiff and unprepared, like he couldn't care less.

We all knew it would be a huge adjustment coming from Phoenix, and I never did like the guy anyway - I'm not amused by his "funny Russian" quips or his "bizarre" sense of humor. To me he's a Me-Me-Me human being, and the same way as a player. Naturally I'm just guessing, I never met the guy.

But here we are 30+ games into the season and the Flyers biggest weakness is STILL in goaltending. I figured Bryz would turn in 1 season of inconsistency - you know, ups and downs? But where are the "ups?"

I never figured 1 season of mediocre, Team-D-better-bail-him-out type of play.

[Howie58]

Hey Howie,

Seeing how it was Snider behind signing Bryzagolv and if the trend continues, we as Flyers fans can only hope that the new CBA will include a one time buyout of any contract on the team and it doesn't count against the cap going forward. Right now my choice would be correcting the mistake of signing this guy to a nine year deal based on the way he's played so far.

Well, maybe we should submit our resumes and be Asst. GM's ....I hope Bryz starts to play per expectations. Otherwise we are going to have a huge slice of our cap shot for some time...unless we get our buyout.

Peace,

Howie

[Spinorama]

Well, Flyers have/had always problem with shoot out.

what's funny about that is it isn't the Flyers as a team, it's just their goalies. At the beginning of the shootout, they showed the Avs stats and it was amazing how good they are at it... but again it's just to goalies. Eh, shootouts suck! I'd much rather see them get rid of them all together. It's not a good way to determine a win.

[OH1FlyersFan]

Greetings:

I thought Bryz was extremely passive in the SO. He didn't challenge one shooter. I don't know if that is cockiness or stupidity.

Best,

Howie

That's what I saw, Howie. Thanks.

[926]

@canoli -

Ups? How bout Best road record in the NHL 30+ into season? Snuck another point out last night with that weak .925 SV%. Last week Bobo and the PK grinded out 2 pts in MTL. Which was just after Bryz shutting the door on a Caps team, again on the road. Which followed his back-to-back away/home Ws over Buf/Pitt. C'mon. Champs put us in a our place, yet it's only 30+ games in...

[canoli]

sorry 9, as much as I'd love to see the "ups" the truth is (imo) we're winning despite our goaltending - certainly not because of it. Sure there have been some nice periods of shutdown hockey from both Bryz and Bob - the 3rd against the Pens comes to mind. But in no way can you say "the Flyers are getting solid goaltending so far." Exactly the opposite, we're getting streaky, who-the-fk-knows-what-we'll-get goaltending.

That's why it's funny to me when I hear people rag on our D. The Flyers defense - the D-men and the Team D + all the goals we're scoring has us at the top of the East. Some folks seem to think the offense is carrying the team and the D is suspect. Neither is true. Certainly leading the league in G/G makes life easier but you don't win in the NHL unless you can defend.

Bryzgalov has been okay some games, many other times he's looked extremely soft, unfocused and nonchalant about his job. The rest of the team is doing the lion's share of the defending for the Flyers.