Monday, May 2, 2011
Posted: 11:19 a.m.Updated: 12:31 p.m.By Sarah Baicker and Tim Panaccio
CSNPhilly.com
Its finally safe to say that the Flyers starting-goalie carousel has stopped. Well, at least for now.
Despite giving up five goals in the teams 7-3 Game 1 loss to the Boston Bruins on Saturday, Brian Boucher will get a quick chance at redemption on home icejust like the rest of his teammates.
Brian will go back in net today, coach Peter Laviolette said. Today, for me, is a game where we all get to go back in there and try and right some wrongs. So everybody gets an opportunity. He deserves it.
Boucher was pulled late in the second period of Saturday afternoons ugly loss, the second time in the Flyers first eight playoff games he was yanked for a poor performance. But as a number of his teammates pointed out after the lossand again at Mondays morning skate, responsibility for the games outcome does not rest solely on his shoulders.
Far from it, in fact.
Boosh has bounced back tremendously after bad games, Scott Hartnell said. We didnt give him any help whatsoever in Game 1, a lot of rebounds, two and three guys at the net walking away while our defense and forwards were sleeping somewhere else.
NHL
From the outside, the Flyers situation in net certainly appears unorthodox. In the teams last 14 playoff games (going back to last season), Laviolette has pulled a goalie six times. But for the Flyers, in a way, thats just business as usual.
We havent cared all year long, Danny Briere said. Both of them Boucher and Sergei Bobrovsky, theyve been good for the most part. Like everybody else, theyve had some tougher games. But we all do. But it never mattered. Its not going to start at this point.
As in Game 1, Bobrovsky will once again back him up. Michael Leighton remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
Pronger misses skate
Chris Pronger left the Flyers bench in Game 1 with just over two minutes remaining in the final period. He didnt practice on Sunday (none of the Flyers did), but he didnt join his team Monday for the morning skate, either.
While Pronger wasn't at the morning skate, GM Paul Holmgren confirmed that Pronger is healthy.
It doesnt matter, Briere said. We cant just rely on him. Obviously its nice when hes in the lineuphes a big piece of the puzzle. But we played a lot of games without him this year and we were successful. We cant sit back and hope that if he plays hes going to do everything. We all have a job to do, and thats what weve got to focus on.
In Pronger's absence, defensemen Danny Syvret and Matt Walker took part in the morning skate. Syvret dressed for all seven games against the Buffalo Sabres but was not in the lineup for Game 1 against Boston. Walker hasn't played for the Flyers since Jan. 18 and spent most of his season battling knee and hip injuries.
Every team has injuries, Sean ODonnell said. Boston has played without arguably their most offensive guy, Marc Savard, all year, and theyve done a good job with that. No ones feeling sorry for them over there. Theyre finding ways to get it done. Whatever happens, any injuries whoever it may be, well find a way to get it done.
Hockey takes a backseat
When the Flyers arrived at the Wells Fargo Center Monday morning, their quest for redemption wasnt the only topic of discussion as they dressed to skate.
Instead, the demise of Osama bin Laden was on the minds of many of the Flyers, particularly those who are native to the United States.
James van Riemsdyk, who grew up in northern New Jersey, knew a number of people who were killed in the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
Its pretty crazy, its a huge world event, van Riemsdyk said. Its something thats been going on the last 10 years, this manhunt for this guy. Hes done a lot of terrible things and to see him finally brought to justice it definitely makes you proud of being an American. Hes affected not only just people in the U.S. but other countries too. And to see a guy like that taken down is definitely a good thing.
E-mail Sarah Baicker at sbaicker@comcastsportsnet.com or Tim Panaccio at tpanotch@comcast.net
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