Flyers snooze, lose
Bruins 7, Flyers 3
Flyers snooze, lose
Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
Another game, another goaltender yanked.
If these are the Flyers, and this is the 2011 playoffs, it almost comes as a surprise when a goalie makes it through to the end. They have played eight post-season games and the starting goaltender now has been pulled out of four of them. Saturday afternoon, it was Brian Boucher’s turn (again) to be taken out, replaced this time by Sergei Bobrovsky.
But it was different this time.
Really, it was.
In the three games of the Buffalo series, the goalies were pulled because the goalies were terrible. In Game 1 of the second round against Boston, Boucher was pulled mostly because the team in front of him was atrocious. He was removed with 2:46 left in the second period, with the Bruins leading by 5-1. The final score was a 7-3.
Now, that isn’t to say that Boucher was great or anything, because he wasn’t. He wasn’t close. But when you run back the video of the goals in your head, only one or maybe two of them were a bit shaky. On the first one, Boucher was taken by a too-open David Krejci in his crease. On the last one, he made a nice pad save on a deflected shot, only to see the unchecked Brad Marchand score on the rebound.
In between, at least one of the goals was deflected. The worst goal was probably the third one, when a Mark Recchi rebound managed to dribble through Boucher. But even that was on a rebound.
The Flyers really appeared to have trouble summoning any of the urgency that marked the Buffalo series. Their defensive zone coverage was inconsistent. Seeing as how both teams played seven-game series in the first round, it might not have been surprising to see both of them struggle to re-find the same emotional level. But the Bruins did a much better job that way. The Flyers were listless in this game for a very long time.
Eventually, they did make a bit of a game of it after Boucher was pulled. Seconds later, in fact, James Van Riemsdyk scored his fifth playoff goal off of a faceoff won by Claude Giroux to make it 5-2. Then, at 13:02 of the third period, on a power play -- after a series of Boston penalties -- Mike Richards walked out of the corner and rifled a shot past Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas to make it 5-3. It was Richards’ first goal of the playoffs.
Then, at 14:59 of the third period, the hope for an improbably comeback died when Marchand scored his second goal of the game, this time from Bobrovsky’s doorstep. At that point, lots of people in souvenir orange t-shirts headed for home.
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I guess they are just waiting to get down 3 games to none again, then they will put on the afterburners. Also, Boston won't score 7 goals in the remainder of the series. Flyers in 6.— ESFjellin- You are clearly confused! Boston will continue to score at will on our goalies. Lav's should put in a cardboard cut-out! We were lucky to barely beat a depleted Sabres team (game #7 was 25% their farm team, plus 2 guys that hadn't practiced but were thrown back in, plus 3 guys who played with the flu) and we will lose to Boston in 4 or 5 games. — FlyersHatTrick
- Just a horrible performance by the Flyers today. The first game of this series and to come out and play like they did today no excuses.— slade1955
Comment removed.- A head, nailed. The turnovers at their own blue line were horrific. No goalie could have won for the Flyers today! BB is the only one of the three that's been able to win, I believe. — BEMiller
- Watch the REPLAYS...good gaolies make at least some key saves...this organization has rolled the dice on the most important position on the team...and the dice came back as CRAPS dice. — FlyersHatTrick
- That was a miserable effort. wait. can't call it that - there was NO effort.
how did this miserable (bunch of talented players that appear to dislike one another) manage to win a playoff series in hockey?
for the first time in about 40 years of following the Flyers, knowing there are games left is actually a horrible feeling. We're going to get our chains yanked again before they inevitably bow out. This group has too many nature skaters. You don't win a Stanley Cup nature skating.— raoool - Comment removed.
- Boosh didn't make any spectacular saves and was left alone by the Flyers' D most of the time. Very sloppy play by the Orange and Black in their own zone. Some unlucky bounces added to the Philly misery. Can't believe the arguably deepest defense corps in the NHL is so leaky in a series opener. Strong bounce back needed in game 2.— flyerdommo
- Who cares....a disasterous last month, a lucky escape from Buffalo and the Flyers traditional goalie issue surfaces again......same sh#$% different day.......thanks Homer.....— nuggett
- the long march up the stairs to the exits
— thefalls - Coming from a Sabres fan:you do know the way to the exits.
Has the Flyers are trying to figure out there goaltending
carrousel(20 years),why dont you go and find the answer to
why the Sabres haven't won anything in there 40 years history in the NHL.Mayday!Mayday!Mayday!!!— mean mean pride,mean mean pride. - The Bruins got a lot of help from the refs, but no one gave the Bruins more help than the Flyers. They handed this game to Boston on a silver platter. Disappointed in Lavi, who usually has his guys ready to go...WHY wasn't Richards playing against Krejci the whole time? The Flyers had the last change? Absolutely inexcusable for Richards not to have had that coverage. Come on, Lavi! Boosh was disappointing, the Flyers D was awful, and the forwards were lackadaisical...but I lay this one on the coach's shoulders (and I'm not a big "blame it on the coach" kind of guy).— mbrown3
- The Broons got all the help they needed from the Flyers seemingly lackadaisical play. For as lousy as game officials can be, it's NEVER their fault when a team loses, even if it's a last second thing. I should never get to the last second in doubt. — BEMiller
- The second goal Boucher gave up, with 35 seconds left in the period, was shaky.— Freedom Fries
