Bryz practices, but Bob expected to get weekend nods
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull
Bryz practices, but Bob expected to get weekend nods
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
Ilya Bryzgalov looked sharp during the Flyers' short practice at the Wells Fargo Center on Friday, but general manager Paul Holmgren said the goalie probably won’t play in either game this weekend.
The Flyers host Ottawa on Saturday afternoon, then play a key matinee in Pittsburgh on Sunday.
Bryzgalov, 10-2-1 with a 1.43 goals-against average and .947 save percentage in March, is officially listed as doubtful for both games, and Sergei Bobrovsky is expected to make both starts.
Bobrovsky is 1-0 with a 2.01 goals-against average against the Senators this season, and 1-1 with a 3.61 GAA against the Penguins.
Bryzgalov missed the Flyers' 7-1 win in Toronto on Thursday because of a chip fracture in his right foot. Bobrovsky made 16 saves in the easy victory.
"There's some progress," said Bryzgalov, who was injured in warmups Monday when Jakub Voracek's shot hit his foot before the game against Tampa Bay. Bryzgalov played in that 5-3 loss to the Lightning.
The 31-year-old goalie said the pain in his foot had lessened and that he "would love to play" as soon as possible.
Bryzgalov said he was "lucky it was not that bad because I'm tough and Russian."
"We'll do what's best for the player and the organization," said coach Peter Laviolette, whose team is trying to catch fourth-seeded Pittsburgh in the Eastern Conference. "We're not going to put a goaltender in a situation where he goes out there and risks injury."
That was coachspeak for saying Bobrovsky would get the start against the Senators, who are fighting for their playoff lives in the East.
Ottawa, Washington and Buffalo are battling for the final two playoff spots.
Holmgren had said Bryzgalov could not risk further injury, and that it was a matter of how much pain he could withstand to play.
Laviolette said it was a "positive sign" that Bryzgalov was able to practice.
Asked how it went, Bryzgalov was evasive.
"Good sunny weather," he said.
Does he feel healthy?
"I can't give you this information, because I'm not speaking about injuries," he said. "Those questions are for Paul Holmgren."
Bryzgalov said the injury would not keep him out for long.
"I can't give you an exact date," he said, before adding "soon."
That could be Tuesday against the visiting New York Rangers.
JVR update. Left winger James van Riemsdykcq, sidelined with a broken bone in his right foot, said he will be examined by a doctor in about a week and that he was hopeful he would have his boot removed and be able to resume skating.
It appears that, in a best-case scenario, van Riemsdyk would be ready to return midway through the opening playoff round.
Pronger stand-in. Defenseman Chris Pronger, out since November with a concussion, had an out-of-town commitment and was not able to be a part of the team's photo on Friday, a Flyers spokesman said. John Page, vice president of Comcast-Spectacor, the Flyers' parent company, wore Pronger's uniform in the photo.
Pronger's face will be superimposed on his Page's body for the team photo that will hang in the locker room.
Page is a former USCSouthern Cal football player.
Breakaways. Craig Anderson, who has a 2.88 GAA and .913 save percentage, will start for Ottawa . . . . Holmgren said Kimmo Timonen, who has been nursing a sore back and missed Thursday's game, will probably return to the lineup Saturday. . . . Danny Briere has two goals and five assists in his last three games.
The Flyers have 11 wins in March for the fifth time in their history. In three of the four times they have done it, they reached the Stanley Cup Finals . . . . The Flyers have won two of three games over the Senators, outscoring them, 14-10 . . . .The Flyers have allowed 17 shots or fewer in three of their last five games.
Contact Sam Carchidi at scarchidi@phillynews.com or on Twitter @BroadStBull.
We have a good back-up goaltender. Let's use him.
We have a good starting goaltender. Let's rest him.
I would not rush Brzy back give him another game off and let BOB get another game or two in before the playoffs start you never know if we will need BOB or not so lets keep him sharp just in case. LETS GO FLYERS!!!!— srcdaddy1216- Bryz needs to play 3 out of the next 5. I would play him both games this weekend,see how he responds, and then the final game of the season.— Fabulous
- Bob should play, rest Bryz. He played hurt and he did give up 4 goals so that has to tell you something.— LAFlyer
- Superimpose Prongers head, thats funny. Hope it doesn't look like when they superimposed Bruce Lee's head in that Game of Death movie.— neddyflanders
- I'm kinda split on this one. I don't want Bryz to play if the injury is prohibitive or there's a chance he could do further damage BUT he was in such a groove that I'd like to see him get a start or two before playoffs. Practice is one thing, game speed is another-- especially when talking about playoff games against a quality opponent.— FlyersGuyinNY
- Rest Bryz. Give him one more regular season game before playoffs to get his rythem back and then try him in playoffs. Lets face it... In order to beat a team like Pit we are going to need Bryz to play to the level he has been this past month. If Bryz can play good through this injury, he will earn so much respect from hockey fans.— ChrisM
- Bryzgalov said he was “lucky it was not that bad because I’m tough and Russian.” Everybody knows Russians aren't tough, just ask the Broad Street Bullies.— chase26TJ
- Can John Page play left tackle?— P Even
- Start Bryz in the next two? NYET!!! Just sayin'...— DJ
- Bryz turned his game around because he was playing every game. To sit him now to "rest" with the play-offs 2 weeks away would be a mistake. Play him. He can rest in late June.— slappywagflyers16
- @ slappy i agree & nave been saying this all season on these boards bryz is used to playing at least 60 65 games a year in his best seasons, i understand sitting him fir a couple games but get him back in there as soon as possible. the media making a big deal about whetehr he can play through the pain is just so stupid. I myself started 10 straight games in net during a Massachusetts juniors tournament on a actually fractured ankle, it actually felt better with my skate on, if I was playing pro under the same circumstance's you would have to cut my head off to keep me out of a game because even if you cut my legs off I would have wanted to be in there trying to stop pucks. So I believe it's more flyers management being a little cautious, but I expect him to get 2 or 3 games in before the reg season ends.— mos19delta
