Bryz Deserves Better Than This

[Mad Dog]

@canoli

You know you won't hear much of Bryzgalov's defending from me. I hated the acquisition when it happened, and I continue hating it. But one thing I will say is in this young season he actually looked pretty good. I will put it yet another way: he looks better than he looked last season. At least he is not losing us games. Only last week, he actually outplayed Lundqvist.

I know it's early, but this team has some soul-searching to do beginning with their best player who, quite frankly, has been nothing short of atroceous so far. And our GM and coach should share some blame for this as well.

Yes, Bryz is Bryz, but again so far......SO FAR........ he is not the main culprit.

[canoli]

I just refuse to listen to excuses for the players.

or read apparently.

Mr. Strawman. ha!

[just trying for humor Rad, please don't take it to heart. You know I respect your opinions and all. Today I think you and a few others are going overboard with the DOB act (defense of bryz)]. When the party-line calls a 70-footer an "oh well it happens" type of goal...yes the DOB has gone 'round the bend!]

[edit: I forgot - The Skaters Sucked Last Night for 40 Minutes...and...Bryzgalov is Not The Reason We Lost the Game]

Edited January 30, 2013 by canoli

[Howie58]

My friend Howie, Mr. Laviolette will not last long if this continues and Mr. Murray is on deck.

Bear:

Good to hear from you. Peace and let's hope we don't go through a shake-up of coach without thinking about the reality of the players we have with this GM.

Best,

Howie

[LegionOfDoom]

I think the defense stood still, because they where afraid if they moved, they were gonna be called for a moving screen by the ref.

[jammer2]

@canoli Bryz can have all the stats he wants....the bottom line is this guy has burned all of the fanbase with repeated disgusting outings....he has to be stellar for a decent amount of time until I will sing his prasies....he still *owes* us in my mind. Stealing a few games/points might be the place to start, no matter how bad the team is in front of him, that's what #1 goalies in this league do...not all the time, but *sometimes* would be a nice starting place.

[canoli]

Thanks Jammer - that's what I've been trying to say all day!

I'd say he "stole" us the win last week vs. the Rags. He was outstanding on the PK late in the game 5 on 3. So that's one...too bad he let Del Zotto score from the blue line last night. Whatever else happened / didn't happen during the game that goal was ugly. So in my book he's back to Square One...

[OH1FlyersFan]

Uncle Ben.

Nice!

[radoran]

@canoli - all good, my friend. We're discussing here.

When I look at last night's game, I would put the "reasons they lost" in the following order:

1. they scored one goal. again. they've scored more than one goal three times in seven games. They've lost every time they've scored just one goal. Last year they scored one goal four times - yes, they've already had 75% of the one-goal games they had last season. They were 0-3-1 in games last year in which they scored one goal. Scoring one goal is not a recepie for success in the National Hockey League.

2. Faceoffs - Giroux/Schenn/Couturier were a combined 20 for 53 at the dot with the latter two 9 of 30. They couldn't win a late third period faceoff to save their lives.

3. Power play - taking one shot in 80 seconds of 5 on 3 time. Letting a broken stick cause problems. 1-4 on the evening. 11% for the season. Bryzgalov has nothing to do with the power play.

4. Penalty kill - having failed on the PP, in the Very Next PP the PK gives up the eventual game winner. 1-2 on the evening. 67.7% (29th) in the league on the season.

5. Inability to clear the puck - not only on del Zotto's play, but throughout the game.

6. Bryzgalov's failure to stop Del Zotto in the early going.

In that order.

I'll charge Bryz with 6 and parts of 4. To that extent, "both" the goalie and the skaters take some blame. It's a team game.

But 1, 2, 3, parts of 4 and 5 are squarely on the skaters.

So, I can't in good conscience say that if "stupid Bryz" had stopped del Zotto that the team leaves with a point - a point it, quite frankly, didn't at all deserve.

[BearOnIce]

Bear:

Good to hear from you. Peace and let's hope we don't go through a shake-up of coach without thinking about the reality of the players we have with this GM.

Best,

Howie

Howie, I do not think a change in coach would do anything at this point. Lavy coaches up-tempo attack-attack and the players are not responding. I think the defence is just in such dissarray and with no one that can move the puck in this speed game today so they are out of synch. Drink le vino!!!!

[BearOnIce]

You guys MAY just be going through a similar stage the Pens are going through. Bylsma's system requires great conditioning to compete. OUr boys don't have it yet and so they're struggling to play with any kind of organized approach. I wonder if Laviolette's system is similar, and until your boys get their legs fully under them it's going to be a roller coaster ride??

The difference is that you have some studs on defence that can move the puck "at will" up to your forwards. We do not have that. Lavy's system requires a high-energy attack and getting thhe puck out from the defensemen to the forwards. Ain't happening with this group now. Dump and chase is old technology.

[BearOnIce]

Look, I am no f'n way saying that Bryz is the next Patty Roy... He has been the Flyers best player this year and has played well. Am I a Bryz fan - no, but I think it is a little ridiculous to blame everything on Bryz... there are a lot of other players that come before him on the ****-list right now...

"Look, I am no f'n way saying that Bryz is the next Patty Roy..." Classic. I love it.

The defence is a f'ked up mess with no one moving the puck out FAST to the forwards. Pylons are not fast.

Plyers? Start with Capt'n Ro.

And never ever put Jake back on that PP. Never.

[Mad Dog]

2. Faceoffs - Giroux/Schenn/Couturier were a combined 20 for 53 at the dot with the latter two 9 of 30. They couldn't win a late third period faceoff to save their lives.

That one stat, right there, is simply scary and totally unacceptable. This should not and cannot happen. Giroux, especially, is getting abused on the faceoffs.

Where is Joel Otto when you need him?

[doom88]

The difference is that you have some studs on defence that can move the puck "at will" up to your forwards. We do not have that. Lavy's system requires a high-energy attack and getting thhe puck out from the defensemen to the forwards. Ain't happening with this group now.

I think the D isn't the issue. The forwards can't receive a pass and are afraid to get bumped. I saw several passes get up ice to get turned over, NOT so much missed or intercepted.

[BearOnIce]

I think the D isn't the issue. The forwards can't receive a pass and are afraid to get bumped. I saw several passes get up ice to get turned over, NOT so much missed or intercepted.

Doom 88:

Yes, your point about not wanting to get bumped is dead on. I saw that too, especially against Tampa Bay. I would expect this from some of these young guys, unless they play a role like Renaldo. I think also that an elite forward creates time and space from the opposing team and outside of Giroux, we don't have another elite forward. Maybe in 2-4 years with some of the younger players developing. With all respect, I think the defense is still too slow transitioning to the forwards. It allows the opposite team to cheat into the neutral zone more, way too much. Then dump and chase and the forwards are gassed. New Jerse's system does it to a tee. If anybody has our number, they do. I believe that Timmo is about the only guy on D we have that can consistently move and control the puck. Case in point the PP where the puck movement east-west opening lanes is really lacking. I saw Lavy execute this offence in Carolina and you really need defencemmen that are essentially large, mobile forwards that move up and back with the forwards. Ain't happening yet this year. I believe there is a big conditioning factor involved and this team is not there yet.

BOI

[jammer2]

@doom88 Not being able to accept passes has been an ongoing issue on this team fo years. Sometimes, it's worse than others, right now it's brutal. I can't wrap my head around how pro's can't perform a basic skill like this, but here we are, talking about it, so it's a problem....scary.

[King Knut]

I feel like it's a bit different than that.

Whether you or me or Roman likes it or not, Roman was part of the problem in those two playoffs.

At least Bryz is swallowing the puck, staying in position and frequently controlling rebounds and if not, he at least seems to be aware that there is a rebound and tries to get in position for it.

Roman would go all out for the first save without giving a fig where the puck went after that. Created a lot of chaos and the defense couldn't get enough time or space to make smart outlets and the front liners had to come back and help bail them out meaning any offensive attack had to come 100% from inside their own blue line.

This team is different. They have room to bring it out, they can't figure out how to get open and the D can't figure out where yo pass it or how to pass it with any intention or velocity. IN addition they keep passing it to where the player just was, not to where he's going to be.

Forwards that bring it out don't utilize their speed or take shots or make additional passes while their open and for some reason wait until they're checked.

Roman flipped with he was part of the problem. If Bryz flips, not only will I not blame him, I'll defend him. He's doing his job and doing it well. The rest of those morons can't seem to get anything in gear.

I would not fault him for pulling a Cechmanek on his team mates. People give Roman hell for showing up his team, but he wasn't wrong.

[xganarchy]

A game where ur goalie only lets in 2 should result in a win with a team like ours was last year. And Bryz does have to earn his pay but so does the rest of the team. Look at what happened when Leighton started.

[LegionOfDoom]

@King Knut@xganarchy

You get my vote.

I see better hockey intelligence right now in street hockey.

It's like everybody forgot who everybody is and don't know each other or don't trust themselves as well.

[radoran]

I see better hockey intelligence right now in street hockey.

It's like everybody forgot who everybody is and don't know each other or don't trust themselves as well.

I was asking in game chat - what is it "you"* think the Flyers are trying to accomplish on the ice?

Offensively?

Defensively?

What is it that they are trying to do out there?

I watch other games. I watch other teams. I see teams that play like units. Like they've actually been on the ice with each other before. With a goal. A mission.

Heck, I've seen teams do that against the Flyers. The only game I've seen the Flyers do that was the Rangers game they won. Quite frankly, I'm amazed that last night was only 2-1. Shows the problems the Rags are having as well.

This team is not without talent. It should be able to, in the immortal words, "compete for the Stanley Cup." But right now it doesn't look like it could beat UVM on a bad night.

And UVM just lost to Penn State. True Story.

But I digest.

Even with this start, the Flyers are in position to make a run for the playoffs. I believe they will get there and I believe that the team might make some noise when they do.

But I'm not terribly surprised that all these union members aren't out there busting their ass for the poster owner of what's wrong with this league - at least according to all of the "excesses" that the new CBA is meant to prevent...

And, yes, they'll happily take the checks he'll offer them when the time comes.

Go Flyers.

* not you LoD, but, you know, "you" :-)

[flyerrod]

Yoda?

Spiderman.....caveat, I did not read past this post before replying.....

[Polaris922]

The difference is that you have some studs on defence that can move the puck "at will" up to your forwards. We do not have that. Lavy's system requires a high-energy attack and getting thhe puck out from the defensemen to the forwards. Ain't happening with this group now. Dump and chase is old technology.

Well I agree the loss of Carle hurt your D more than most want to admit, but I think the run & gun system is just more demanding of conditioning and will take time. It's too soon to be panicking about things.

[LegionOfDoom]

Well I agree the loss of Carle hurt your D more than most want to admit

It hurt our outlet passing and uptempo breakouts, but it helped that his turnovers dont end up as our goals against. But for some reason I don't know why Jake picked up that cheerleading stick? Anyone know why? He needs to put down that turnover stick.

[radoran]

Well I agree the loss of Carle hurt your D more than most want to admit, but I think the run & gun system is just more demanding of conditioning and will take time. It's too soon to be panicking about things.

Flyers are four points out of the third seed for the winner of the Southeast Atlantic Division.

Unfortunately, they've also played more games than any other in the East.

That said, there are 41 games to play and the team is 7 points out of first.

The team needs to come together, but the season is hardly over.

[BearOnIce]

Well I agree the loss of Carle hurt your D more than most want to admit, but I think the run & gun system is just more demanding of conditioning and will take time. It's too soon to be panicking about things.

Yes. That conditioning thing is an issue. Lets hope they work out if it. Just need to make playoffs.

[canoli]

1. Scored one goal -

Ya scoring 1 goal is a tough way to win hockey games at any level...won't happen very often.

2. Faceoffs -

This would be much more disturbing if it was a month from now. Early on I figure most of the skaters' woes are from lack of conditioning, i.e. most of them are out-of-game-shape. Let's see where we are after 20 games; I'll be shocked if G and Couturier are both still getting pushed off the puck so easily, in the FO circle and all over the ice.

3. Power play - (and I'll add "general disorganized play at even strength)

Here's the rest of the conditioning troubles: lack of mental conditioning / preparation. You see it all over the ice and if affects everything, from flubbing passes to "being too cute" on the PPs. But I'm seeing it in all the games I'm watching...the Wings, the Preds, the Jackets, Ducks...etc., they've all had problems looking like a team. (the Rags are a bit of an exception; if they can get goals from anyone other than their top line they'll be looking pretty good).

Not many guys played pro hockey during the lockout and in any case it always takes time to get that fire in the belly going where every shift you're competing hard, trying to win it...whether it's maintaining puck possession till the big line comes out or keeping the forecheck going...it's another piece of the puzzle I'm sure will look much better a month from now.

4. Penalty kill -

The PK numbers aren't encouraging but again, it's way early. Call me crazy but to me this has been the best part of the Flyers' game so far - in fits and starts*. Overall it's not been good but when I *do* see guys working hard and meshing as a unit it's been on the PK. With Couturier, Talbot, Coby, Giroux etc. I'm not too worried about our PK this season.

* I repeat, "in fits and starts" (before another Strawdog pops up and pretends I said "the PK looks great")

5. Inability to clear the puck -

Right now this is by far my biggest concern: giving away the puck in our own zone. Coughing up the puck to the opposition (esp in your own zone) when there's nobody harassing you or knocking you off the puck is extremely lazy play - mentally lazy. Those spectacularly bad turnovers last night should not happen, period. Yes we miss Mez, Carle too. And a few of our fwds are really dogging it out there right now. I know Lavy will be embarrassing guys on film night and in practice until it stops. I hope (and expect) it will cost guys minutes if it continues.

6. Bryzgalov's failure to stop Del Zotto in the early going -

It was a bad goal at a bad time. I've seen worse but there's no excuse for goals like that in the NHL: Brzygalov *has* to keep 70-footers out of his net.

It was a "stupid Bryz" goal and it cost us exactly that, 1 goal. In a 2-1 game one goal is big. But I'm happy to give credit where it's due: he certainly righted himself after that and played very well. He gave the Flyers a chance to take the 2 points. Unfortunately it took the skaters 40 minutes to realize it takes work to win puck battles.

Looking on the bright side, as I said it's early, guys are out of shape physically and mentally...it's all going to get better. Deep-run in the POs better? I doubt it but who knows? Maybe I should be hopeful about Brzygalov too but I just can't. I've seen him look so bad, so disinterested in stopping the puck that - like Jammer said it's going to take an extended run of stellar play for me to be hopeful about him.