Posted: Friday, January 22, 2010, 5:11 PM | 16 comments |
 

Emery (Emery!) will start vs. Carolina
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   It made perfect sense to assume that goalie Michael Leighton would start Saturday afternoon against visiting Carolina, so....

   Flyers coach Peter Laviolette has decided to stay with Ray Emery.

   Leighton was expected to get the nod because Emery has had three straight starts since returning from his abdominal injury _ and because Emery figures to start Sunday afternoon against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

   Laviolette likes staying with the hot goalie. Leighton made 11 consecutive starts _ he was 8-1-1 with one no-decision _ before he went to Emery.

   Emery is 2-1 in his last three games but has looked sharper in each outing.

   Do you agree with Laviolette's decision?

 
Posted by Sam Carchidi @ 5:11 PM  Permalink | 16 comments
16
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:46 PM, 01/22/2010
    Leighton did just beat Pittsburgh, but he also got 7 goals of support. So, do I agree? No.
    — hunsinator
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:46 PM, 01/22/2010
    NO. I DON'T. Leighton against the Canes, Emery against the Pens. That's what should be done.
    — DrM
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:12 PM, 01/22/2010
    I guess Laviolette really wants Emery to grab the #1 job before the Olympic break and come back with confidence for the last 20 games. Strange though, that he would risk this so soon with Emery coming back from injury. Maybe both games being at home was a big factor.
    — duffers
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:56 PM, 01/22/2010
    I do agree...After the Pitt game they are all for like 4 or 5 days. Plenty of time for Ray to get rest.
    — sima_down_nah
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:59 PM, 01/22/2010
    I would start Boucher on Sat and Emery on Sunday. Trade Leighton somewhere, anywhere, while he has the slightest ounce of trade value.
    — UncleEddie
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:09 PM, 01/22/2010
    UncleEddie, you're a moron. What do you think Leighton is going to get you? Maybe a 4th line player for the Phantoms. Given the opportunity Leighton outplayed Boucher given the amount of games both have started. I love Boucher but he hasn't shown he's even capable as a quality backup this year. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
    — srf466
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:19 PM, 01/22/2010
    Boosh didnt have this team playing in front of him though. but leighton should be starting against Car in my opinion.
    — jphaze
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:25 PM, 01/22/2010
    as long as the defense plays the way they have, it shouldn't matter who starts. That being said, however, I prefer Leighton
    — boris
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:40 PM, 01/22/2010
    Don't get me wrong, Leighton has gotten more support from the team in front of him and often it appears as though he is out of position and gets lucky by the other team missing an often wide open net, but sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. Also, I like Leighton because he appears to be a bigger goalie, although I don't know if he is in actuality. One of my biggest complaints about the Flyers goalies, as well as most of the goalies in the NHL, is that they all play the butterfly style which leaves the upper half of the net empty and leaves the goalie vulnerable to shots above the shoulder. Biron, Emery, Boucher, Leighton are all butterfly goalies but Leighton appears to take up the most space in net. I like that, much the way a taller goalie like Hextall took up the net.
    — srf466
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:18 PM, 01/22/2010
    I think the team plays well in front of Leighton.
    — samtheshampharaoh
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:22 PM, 01/22/2010
    emery is and should be considered the #1 goalie and be played as much as possible. leighton has earned the second spot. boosh will probably and realistically get another chance due to injury/cold streak/whatever. the flyers are lucky to have a very good chance of having a solid #1 and two solid #2's going towards the playoffs and should keep all three ready to play.
    — stanley
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:37 PM, 01/22/2010
    Emery did just pitch a shutout, nitwit.
    — JSaq
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:43 PM, 01/22/2010
    Yes, I agree. We need to win the Carolina game because we will probably lose the Penguins game. Emery just pitched a shutout and has the better pedigree overall. You have to start Emery against the 'Canes.
    — Vituperator
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:43 PM, 01/23/2010
    As long as Emery is healthy I have no problem with him starting all the games tis weekend. The coach is also sending a message to Leighton that he already knows, Emery is #1 and thehot goalie gets the start, unless it is you. One loss does not constitute a slump or Emery would have been pulled too.
    — AsValidAsYours


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About Sam Carchidi
Sam Carchidi is in his fourth year as the Flyers' beat reporter. He became an Inquirer staff writer in 1984 and covered mostly South Jersey high school sports and the Phillies before taking the Flyers beat.

Carchidi has written three books _ the nationally acclaimed Miracle in the Making: The Adam Taliaferro Story, which he co-authored with Scott Brown; Bill Campbell: The Voice of Philadelphia Sports; and Standing Tall: The Kevin Everett Story, which was featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show. He also contributed to a 1993 Inquirer book on the Phillies.

A lifelong South Jersey resident, Carchidi lives in Wenonah with his wife, JoAnn, and their two children, Sara and Sammy.

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