Posted: Wednesday, February 3, 2010, 3:18 PM | 17 comments |
 

Leighton in, Emery out
options
 

EDMONTON, Alberta – In a way, tonight’s starting goalie in Edmonton is no surprise.

It’s almost logical: the Flyers are playing against the last place Edmonton Oilers. It’s a perfect time to rest Ray Emery, who has started eight straight games since coming back from abdominal surgery on Jan. 17.

That’s why Michael Leighton will be tonight’s starter at Rexall Place (9:30 p.m. EST start).

The surprise here, though, is that Ray Emery won’t even be on the Flyers bench tonight. He’ll be in street clothes.

Brian Boucher, who has been a healthy scratch since Emery first started backing up Leighton on Jan. 12, will be the Flyers’ backup goaltender tonight. It’s Boucher’s first time on the bench in 11 games.

This is also Leighton’s first start in 9 games. When Emery and Boucher went down with injuries, Leighton stepped in and went 8-1-1 in 11 straight starts to turn the Flyers’ season around.

The Flyers have carried three goalies on their active roster since Emery returned.

It was clear that Emery needed rest: he did not partake in Tuesday’s practice in Edmonton and skipped the morning game-day skate in Calgary on Monday. The Flyers are clearly counting on him as their No. 1 for their run towards the playoffs.

That’s why tonight’s game matters. The Flyers know they need the two points.

Edmonton has won just once since Dec. 30. The Flyers have the far superior team. If they want to let the goaltender be the difference between winning and losing, they have no business walking with the two points anyways.

-

The Flyers’ lines (and defensive pairings) are expected to remain the same.

Here are tonight’s anticipated Oilers lines: (from Tuesday’s practice)

Penner – Gagner – Cogliano
Moreau – Horcoff - Comrie
Potulny – Brule – O’Sullivan
Stortini – Pouliot – Jacques

Possible extras: Nilsson, Pisani

Edmonton is still without Sheldon Souray, Ladislav Smid, Steve Staios, Ales Hemsky and Nikolai Khabibulin.

If you thought the Flyers’ cap situation is tough… try being in the Oilers’ shoes. They’re in last place and they are over the cap.

For the latest updates, follow Frank Seravalli on Twitter at http://twitter.com/DNFlyers.
Posted by Frank Seravalli @ 3:18 PM  Permalink | 17 comments
17
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:50 PM, 02/03/2010
    Far cry from those 80s Oilers. Must get two points as you mentioned. Carrying three goalies is a pretty good idea with the compressed schedule this year if all of their egos agree.
    — burholme
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:02 PM, 02/03/2010
    Emery is not the answer.
    — th
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:20 PM, 02/03/2010
    Have to keep our fingers crossed that waiver man doesn't return to his normal career level.
    — eagle1971
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:27 PM, 02/03/2010
    They won't have three goalies after the olympic break!
    — JohnnyThunderCak
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:31 PM, 02/03/2010
    Emery is 6-2 since coming back from his injury with a GAA under 2. Who is the answer then, genius?
    — richards4captain18
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:43 PM, 02/03/2010
    richards4captain18, ignore morons like that. These are the same know it alls that if the Flyers won the Cup or if the Eagles won the SB would be unhappy because McNabb missed a pass or because Emery and the Flyers didn't pitch 16 straight shutouts on their way to doing it.
    — srf466
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:46 PM, 02/03/2010
    I think Emery has been very solid this year, except for the 5 or 6 games that he was hurt....hopefully this rest is not due to his tweaking the injury
    — retzlaff
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:52 PM, 02/03/2010
    strange handling of the goaltending problem very strange. seems like boucher is the odd man out and i agree they will probably deal somebody during the olympics hope we get someone good in return
    — Stanley Cup
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:10 PM, 02/03/2010
    Leighton was playing great, trackin the puck really well. There's no reason why the flyers shouldn't use a tandem. didn't the canes do that when they won the cup?
    — kolocop
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:22 PM, 02/03/2010
    No the Canes replaced Martin Gerber with rookie Cam Ward after game 2 I think it was of the playoffs that year.
    — srf466
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:01 PM, 02/03/2010
    Give Leighton a game. Let Emery watch. Are you not entertained? Kovalchuk? Iginla? How about an honest appraisal of the guys that are here now. This summer will be a filled with free-agents. Let's find out who wants to play for Peter L., and who needs a ticket outta town.
    — ColKurtz
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:21 PM, 02/03/2010
    How is the handling of the goaltending situation 'strange?' Leighton is a marginal career backup who had a nice run and nothing more. Starting him tonight isn't a bad idea but insisting that he should be the starter. No way. As for Boucher - please. He is a marginal backup NHL goalie and nothing more at this point. There are at least a dozen teams with better backups than Boucher. Emery is the Flyers' guy this year right or wrong. He was generally playing pretty solid before he was injured and has come back with solid play. Same fools calling for Leighton/Boucher are probably the same guys who wanted Vick to start last year.
    — MG77
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:13 PM, 02/03/2010
    Hockey is stupid.
    — fishthing
  • Comment removed.


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About Frank Seravalli
Frank Seravalli is in his fourth year with the Daily News and third season covering the Flyers. He started at the Daily News as an intern writing about the boozing legends of the Lincoln Financial Field lots and hasn't left. Since joining the Flyers beat, he has covered everything from the Winter Classic to the Stanley Cup Final and everything in between. Prior to joining the Daily News, the Bucks County native did a large amount of freelance work for local media outlets, covering high schools, colleges and all four of Philly's major sports teams. He resides in Center City. E-mail Frank at seravaf@phillynews.com and follow him on Twitter @DNFlyers.

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