Goaltending was the difference, again.

[trevluk]

Bob played really well but Henrik didnt allow a bad goal on Bob did and it was the difference in the game. Sometimes it only takes one bad goal to make the difference. Just ask Michael Leighton.

[doom88]

I honestly think Lundqvist is the best goalie in the league, even more so than Thomas (mostly due to an overall past few years impression).

[trevluk]

I honestly think Lundqvist is the best goalie in the league, even more so than Thomas (mostly due to an overall past few years impression).

Agreed, definitely top 3 every year for past few seasons and certainly better than anything we got!

[wcflyer]

Lundquist is the real deal and that's our problem, we don't have the real deal right now. I thought Bryz was the real deal and felt some hope for our goaltending, not. Bobs is young and inconsistent, although he is better goalie lately. I think if we are going to stay with these two goalies, we are going to need another 4/5 d man and sit Lilja and top 2 or 3 line forward to get some scoring, our forwards are hurting. Jags today, JVR, Simmonds and Briere playing hurt, it's crazy. I hope Homer spends Pronger's money soon and doesn't wait until the trade deadline.

[off_the_post]

Agreed. The storey line is getting old. At least this gives Lavy an easy way out to go back to Bryz. Hopefully this is the silver lining and that Bryz will come to form. If not.....

[JackStraw]

I honestly think Lundqvist is the best goalie in the league, even more so than Thomas (mostly due to an overall past few years impression).

Totally agree. Lundqvist is going to be a difference maker in every game he plays, the Flyers are not going to find someone better than him. They have to find another way to beat the Rangers, and it will have to involve matching the Rangers intensity. Which they couldn't quite do today.

[Vincent05]

Totally agree. Lundqvist is going to be a difference maker in every game he plays, the Flyers are not going to find someone better than him. They have to find another way to beat the Rangers, and it will have to involve matching the Rangers intensity. Which they couldn't quite do today.

This is just great, Lundqvist is becoming what Brodeur was to us back then.

[Bakanekimiwa]

They just needed to keep things simple and get in front of the net. He can't always stop what he can't see. They didn't do that. Maybe it was tough defense by the rangers or unwillingness to take the punishment... Or both. But, it seemed Lund had an open view of most shots.

[doom88]

They just needed to keep things simple and get in front of the net. He can't always stop what he can't see. They didn't do that. Maybe it was tough defense by the rangers or unwillingness to take the punishment... Or both. But, it seemed Lund had an open view of most shots.

I would say that is a fair assessment entirely.

[FlyersMKD]

Completely agree...the Flyers outplayed the Rangers for much of the first two periods and then goal-tending let them down again. If it wasn't for that early weak goal I think Flyers go on to win the game. Bob played good, but Lundqvist played better... that's the bottom line.

[The Quigster]

Lundquist saw every shot,Flyers don't like to screen the goalie,Sestito during his short stay camped in the Ranger's goal.On the Ranger's first goal,Mezzo froze,providing a great screen for the prolific goal scorer Rupp. The Flyers fail on a very fundamental level. Don't blame Bobbo,try to imagine if Bryzo was in net.Lavi could have chosen Briere or Giroux for the penalty shot????

[flyercanuck]

Bob played like a 2nd year goalie, can't say i blame him though he let in a soft goal. He played well otherwise. Lundquist at the other end shows you what a real franchise goalie plays like. And he does it almost every game. Bryzgalov will never be that good.

Laviolette screwed up not calling the timeout when the line was gassed on the icing...what was he saving it for? Oh ya, to call it AFTER they scored, good move! Briere on the penalty shot? Briere, who's tied with Talbot and Simmonds in scoring? Briere's had some fine moments over the last 2 years, but this year he doesn't seem to be putting in the ones he was then.

Good game, thought the Flyers outplayed them but were shown yet again what better goaltending is.

[PhilsFanDrew]

Briere on the penalty shot? Briere, who's tied with Talbot and Simmonds in scoring? Briere's had some fine moments over the last 2 years, but this year he doesn't seem to be putting in the ones he was then.

Why not Briere on a penalty shot? He's got one of the best if not the best shootout percentages on the team. He may not be lighting the lamp as much as of late during regular game play but he's typically money in shootouts and has had prior success against Lundquist. Danny just out thinked himself and deviated from his typical strategy.

[delcofan]

This is just great, Lundqvist is becoming what Brodeur was to us back then.

It's funny you say that. The last few Rangers' games I started getting that gut feeling that the Flyers just weren't going to score. I forgot but that was how I used to feel with those Devils' games. Those games sucked.

[delcofan]

Lundquist saw every shot,Flyers don't like to screen the goalie,Sestito during his short stay camped in the Ranger's goal.On the Ranger's first goal,Mezzo froze,providing a great screen for the prolific goal scorer Rupp. The Flyers fail on a very fundamental level. Don't blame Bobbo,try to imagine if Bryzo was in net.Lavi could have chosen Briere or Giroux for the penalty shot????

I really liked Sestito. I wish there was a way to keep him up.

[radoran]

Flyers:

1) Still would have needed four to win

2) Gave up two momentum-shifting goals - one 30 seconds after taking a commanding 2-0 lead

3) Still left Brad Richards wide open for the GWG (that would be Giroux's man on that play)

In the end, "Bob" didn't make a damn bit of difference.

If the Flyers don't cover their men and leave all-stars open for wide open shots, it doesn't matter who's in goal.

Also, "Brodeur" isn't "in the heads" of any of these Flyers - they don't have that history with the Devils. None of them.

"Brodeur" - and "Lundqvist is the new Brodeur" - is in the heads of fans. Henrik is a great goalie. No question. He can be beat.

Go beat him.

[brelic]

Flyers:

1) Still would have needed four to win

2) Gave up two momentum-shifting goals - one 30 seconds after taking a commanding 2-0 lead

3) Still left Brad Richards wide open for the GWG (that would be Giroux's man on that play)

In the end, "Bob" didn't make a damn bit of difference.

If the Flyers don't cover their men and leave all-stars open for wide open shots, it doesn't matter who's in goal.

Also, "Brodeur" isn't "in the heads" of any of these Flyers - they don't have that history with the Devils. None of them.

"Brodeur" - and "Lundqvist is the new Brodeur" - is in the heads of fans. Henrik is a great goalie. No question. He can be beat.

Go beat him.

Good post, rad.

The Flyer did beat him, twice. And that should have been enough.

Giroux blew his assignment of Richards, the All-Star, but that's why these players are All-Stars in the first place They can find open slots and shake their cover. Giroux's 46 points certainly came on a lot of plays where he made opposing defenders and forwards look foolish. He should have had him, but these things happen.

Two things stood out: Laviolette used his timeout at the wrong time. And Bob let in a backbreaking goal that gave the Rangers life.

The rest of the game, I thought we controlled play.

I wonder what will happen with Bryz, because the way he's been acting lately (and the additional 'insight' gained from HBO) kind of lends credence to what Morris and Aucoin said about him: that he's essentially a bad teammate. That's not a good thing to have around for 9 years. You can deal with a goalie having an off year or long adjustment period. But you would hate to have cleansed the locker room of personality problems only to bring in another one, at the most important position.

[DaGreatGazoo]

In the end, "Bob" didn't make a damn bit of difference

Agree with your post except for that statement. Getting beat short side, under the arm..by MIKE RUPP..is ALL on Bob. He needs to make that save..pure and simple.

[Mad Dog]

Good game, thought the Flyers outplayed them but were shown yet again what better goaltending is.

Sadly, that has been the Flyers' signature for more than a decade. And still, till this day, goaltending continues hunting this team like a bad ghost. What's really unfortunate is that this year they finally identified that as being a problem, but as mostly always, went about it the wrong way.

[radoran]

I don't mean to harp on Giroux, but in the last two games I saw (missed most of Pittsburgh) I've seen two Giroux defensive lapses lead DIRECTLY to opposing goals. Both of which just happened to be game-winners...

I like G and he's a great player with good hockey sense, but he NEEDS to play better defense in his own zone, especially if he's going to be given players like Stamkos and Richards to cover. On the Richards goal, he's sitting at the side of the net watching play as Richards moves into scoring position, gets the puck and scores the winning goal. Yes, Giroux makes other players look foolish - how many of them are also All-Stars?

And ANY goalie needs to stop that second Rupp goal.

After being "outplayed" by Mathieu Garon of all people, can we at least begin to acknowledge that the Flyers have problems in addition to "who's in net"?

[DaGreatGazoo]

After being "outplayed" by Mathieu Garon of all people, can we at least begin to acknowledge that the Flyers have problems in addition to "who's in net"?

I agree 100%. They have been struggling to score consistently the last few weeks..after leading the league in goals for early. Defensive lapses are killing them in their own zone. And then we have the goaltending.

What a frustrating loss. Up 2-0...leading after 2..and they still lose. The Rangers are the team to beat in the East right now. Playing well, and they've beat us 3 in a row. Each game they beat us a different way.

[Vincent05]

What's really unfortunate is that this year they finally identified that as being a problem, but as mostly always, went about it the wrong way.

Atleast they now know that's been our weakness and not continue to to hide the fact. They didn't go about it the wrong way, they just went with the wrong terms on the deal. Not really their fault the goalie market suck the past 2 season, the offseason before they tried to get the best goalie available. You remember Nabakov? He didn't want to sign with us and so far isn't playing that good with the Isles. The past offseason had only 2 good goalies, either Vokoun or Bryz, we don't know who would be better here as both aren't having good seasons so far. Everyone was saying Bryz was the best available so they went out and got him, you can't fault them there. This is all on Bryz, he doesn't have to be great but he needs to be way better then what he has been showing. Everyone would be OK if he had Bob's GAA and Save % right now.

[radoran]

Atleast they now know that's been our weakness and not continue to to hide the fact. They didn't go about it the wrong way, they just went with the wrong terms on the deal. Not really their fault the goalie market suck the past 2 season, the offseason before they tried to get the best goalie available. You remember Nabakov? He didn't want to sign with us and so far isn't playing that good with the Isles. The past offseason had only 2 good goalies, either Vokoun or Bryz, we don't know who would be better here as both aren't having good seasons so far. Everyone was saying Bryz was the best available so they went out and got him, you can't fault them there. This is all on Bryz, he doesn't have to be great but he needs to be way better then what he has been showing. Everyone would be OK if he had Bob's GAA and Save % right now.

I can fault them for thinking "whoever is the bext UFA goalie available rightnow" is automatically "the answer to our decades-long goalie problem."

The universe - no matter how big it really is - doesn't alter itself to fix whatever problems the Flyers want to address "rightnow."

Again, they need a PLAN to address their situation in goal. It's not a problem a "quick fix" will solve. And Bryz was the quick and easy answer.

How's that working out for them?

[hf101]

Good post, rad.

The Flyer did beat him, twice. And that should have been enough.

Giroux blew his assignment of Richards, the All-Star, but that's why these players are All-Stars in the first place They can find open slots and shake their cover. Giroux's 46 points certainly came on a lot of plays where he made opposing defenders and forwards look foolish. He should have had him, but these things happen.

Two things stood out: Laviolette used his timeout at the wrong time. And Bob let in a backbreaking goal that gave the Rangers life.

The rest of the game, I thought we controlled play.

I wonder what will happen with Bryz, because the way he's been acting lately (and the additional 'insight' gained from HBO) kind of lends credence to what Morris and Aucoin said about him: that he's essentially a bad teammate. That's not a good thing to have around for 9 years. You can deal with a goalie having an off year or long adjustment period. But you would hate to have cleansed the locker room of personality problems only to bring in another one, at the most important position.

I don't think anything will happen with Bryz......Bryz got a wake-up call that he needs to put in more effort.

Snider on Bryzgalov.....“There’s no issue, we have no issue. We have two good goalies, we’ll be fine. We’re fighting for first place, something must be working well. It can’t be that bad.”

“I think he’s colorful,” said the chairman. “He’s a colorful guy.

“I think that he’s a very good goalie. I think he’s going through a rough patch right now. Most goalies do. He’ll straighten it out and he’ll be better than ever.”

[radoran]

What have Derek Morris and Adrian Aucoin ever won?

Oh, right. Nothing.

Moving along...

Oh, wait, I'm sorry. That's right. Aucoin won the Babe Pratt Trophy as the best defenseman on the (23-47-12) 1998-99 Vancouver Canucks.

Well, he's got that going for him.