Bryzgalov seeing life differently
Daily News Flyers blog
Bryzgalov seeing life differently
MONTREAL – Ilya Bryzgalov could barely hide his excitement.
On Monday night against Toronto, Bryzgalov enjoyed his second night off among the Flyers’ first 8 games of the season.
“I love days off,” Bryzgalov said. “Who doesn’t?”
“It’s a pretty boring life … for everybody. For you [media] guys, for us. You go and do the same thing. Practice, game. Practice, game. Practice, game, sleep, practice, game.”
For Bryzgalov, still developing the lay of the land in Philadelphia, the day off was not just a chance to relax in the early stages of what will be a long season. It was also a chance to watch fellow Russian Sergei Bobrovsky and re-evaluate his game after what hasn’t exactly been the picturesque start he was looking for with his new team.
Yes, Bryzgalov is 3-2-1. But after starting with back-to-back wins (including one shutout) against Boston and New Jersey, he has allowed 16 goals on just 119 shots – which is a save percentage of just .865.
Those aren’t exactly stellar numbers, even if you discount for the fact that the Flyers got caught with some bad bounces, including the game against Washington where three goals were scored off of deflections from their own sticks.
“Sometimes, it’s good [to watch],” Bryzgalov said. “Sometimes you’ve got to take it to find yourself. See the game from this side, realize what’s going on. Maybe you did something wrong or something needs to be done [differently].”
Bryzgalov is hoping to bounce back tonight in Montreal, which is the start of back-to-back games for the Flyers, as they face Winnipeg at home on Thursday. He said he wasn’t opposed to start both games in the set, one of the Flyers’ 13 back-to-back sets of the season.
“[My play] is obviously unacceptable,” Bryzgalov said. “I think I need to elevate my game [to] speed a little bit. That’s the main thing I think about. Obviously you’ve got to be a little bit more lucky. You see like every game [so far] you give up so many goals with the bad luck. I don’t know, you continue to work hard and your luck will change.”
PANIC IN MONTREAL: So, just how bad are things for the Canadiens (1-5-2), who are dead last in the Eastern Conference?
It’s been 70 years of steeped tradition since the Canadiens went through the first 8 games of the season without picking up at least two wins. They have now lost six straight.
Few big-name acquisitions have a bigger disappointment in their new home than Montreal’s Erik Cole, who signed a four-year deal worth $18 million with the Canadiens in the offseason. He has just 1 goal and 1 assist in 8 games.
Cole didn’t even know he scored his first goal as a Canadien during Monday night’s 2-1 loss to the visiting Florida Panthers.
“Oh,” Cole shrugged in an interview with the Montreal Gazette when informed. “I guess it really doesn’t matter. The result’s the same.”
Oh, and if it couldn’t get any worse, leading scorer Max Pacioretty is out tonight with a wrist injury. Fellow American Aaron Palushaj has been called-up in his place.
It’s bound to get worse for the Canadiens, who are very thin on offense and defense, if they continue to ask miracle worker Carey Price to play like St. Carey every night at the Bell Centre.
TONIGHT’S LINEUPS: Both are subject to change. Some lines and pairings are an educated guess. Tough to tell exactly what the Flyers will do after only half the team practiced on Tuesday.
PHILADELPHIA
Forwards
Hartnell – Giroux – Jagr
Schenn – Briere – Simmonds
Van Riemsdyk – Read – Voracek
Nodl – Couturier - Talbot
Defense
Coburn – Meszaros
Carle - Lilja
Timonen – Walker
Goalies
Bryzgalov
Bobrovsky
Scratches: Shelley (healthy), Pronger (eye).
MONTREAL
Forwards
Moen - Plekanec - Gionta
Cammalleri - Desharnais - Cole
Kostitsyn - Eller - Palushaj
Darche - Nokelainen - Blunden
Defense
Gorges – Subban
Spacek – Weber
Gill – Diaz
Goalies
Price
Budaj
Scratches: Gomez (upper-body), Markov (right knee), Chris Campoli (leg), Pacioretty (wrist, game-time decision), Emelin (healthy).
For the latest updates, follow Frank Seravalli on Twitter: @DNFlyers
This guy is waiting for luck to change his poor play? Should have put incentives into his contract. Right now he is stealing money.— P Even- Give him a chance. At the halfway point if his GAA and SV % are still horrible then bash him.— exrec9
- Bryzgalov will get better. Not worried.— Nitroglycerin
- 9 year deal. I wish Snyder had kept the Sixers instead— Setdawgy
- he didnt have a chance on those goals in the washington game. i wonder if this goalie bashing has anything to do with why goalies arent successful in philly. 2 lost games and it's the end of the world. if I were lavy, i wouldnt allow the media to talk to the goalies unless they win that night.— daoust555
- Most of the bads goals he has given up were deflections within 5ft of the net by his own teamates. I don't like his contract either but unless your lucky enough that those deflections hit you there is nothing he can do. That is the luck he is talking about.— edith bunker
- Yeah, not encouraging when he's pointing to "luck" as an issue.— n62
- Couturier now listed on the 4th line? Shame.— n62
- The boys just need to get used to letting him make the save. They are used to trying to block every shot because the goal tending has been soft over the past years. They just need to keep the front of the net clear and step out of the way, especially on those long shots and let Bryz handle them,,,which he will.— FlyerFan8
- This is why players are usually boring in the press using the same old cliches. When they're honest and frank, people bash them for no reason.— jasvic
- Thank you, jasvic. Bryzgalov is open and honest, says the exact smae thing about the unlucky bounces that everybody else is saying, ends it by saying he needs to work harder to create his own luck, and some of these budding Einsteins characterize that as "witing for his luck to change" or "pointing to luck as an issue". This guy is a top-notch goalie and he seems to be an honest, extroverted guy. He's playing on a team that is dealing with unprecedneted turnover. Unfortunately, some people here can't deal with the catastorphic disaster of being 3 points out of first place with two games in hand.— 1980
- If Courtier will be a 4th liner this year, they should send him back to Juniors. He will waste away and lose confidence with the minimal playing time, as well as lack of talent around him on the line. PS: i was not impressed with Schenn Monday nite. Courtier is better— jpat2411
- Couturier will be heading back to jrs by game 10. As talented as he is they don't have enough ice time to give him & doubtful that he can hold up for 82+ pro style games at this point of his career.— bigdaddyG
- Why send Couturier back to juniors? So he can light it up against inferior competition? Keep him up. Work him in. In 2 or 3 years when he is a star it will be very well worth it having let him develop against NHL level talent. It'a a waste to send him down.— ragecage22
- here we go again..the morons who know nothing about goaltending bashing a goaltender who gave up one bad goal since he's been here. i'm tired of the stupidity of the basic flyer fan. its embarrassing to say the least.— mc62strat
