Gus replacing Grossmann for Flyers
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull
Gus replacing Grossmann for Flyers
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
PITTSBURGH -- The Flyers’ defense will have a new look Friday as they try to finish off the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Consol Energy Center.
Erik Gustafsson is in; Nick Grossmann is out.
Grossmann has a concussion, teammate Claude Giroux confirmed, and he did not make the trip to Pittsburgh.
No matter how long the series lasts, it appears Grossmann - arguably the Flyers’ top defenseman - will not play in it again. Fact is, there are questions about if he will play again in the playoffs this season.
Grossmann took first-period hits from the Tyler Kennedy and Evgeni Malkin in the Flyers’ 10-3 loss to the Penguins on Wednesday. He played sparingly in the second period before sitting out the third period.
Gustafsson, 23, who was plus-12 in 30 games with the Flyers this season, will be making his playoff debut.
“It’s going to be a dream come true,” Gustafsson said after the morning skate Friday. “My first pro playoff game. A little nervous, but mostly I’m excited, so it’s going to be a lot of fun tonight.”
Gustafsson said he did not know who would be his defensive partner.
Grossmann had been on the top D pairing with Braydon Coburn. Coach Peter Laviolette is expected to have Coburn with Kimmo Timonen; they played together a bit on Wednesday.
Gustafsson has spent time with Matt Carle this season, and he could be paired with him Friday. That would leave Andreas Lilja and Pavel Kubina on the third pairing.
Then again, a Carle-Gus pairing would not have much physicality.
If it's me, I pair Carle with Kubina, and Gus with Lilja.
Coach Peter Laviolette said Gustafsson was not demoted to Adirondack this season because of his performance, but because the Flyers had players returning from injuries.
Gustfasson doesn’t think the Flyers’ lopsided loss Wednesday will have a carryover effect.
“We’re just going to hit the reset button,” he said.
Meanwhile, Giroux said he felt badly for Grossmann.
"I've had a concussion and it's the worst," he said. "You're basically sitting on your couch and you can't even watch TV."
Bryz ready. Goalie Ilya Bryzgalov was making snow angels at the morning skate and seemed loose as he prepared to face the Penguins.
“He’s going to be great tonight, I have a feeling,” Giroux said. “He’s focused.”
Follow Sam Carchidi on Twitter @BroadStBull.
How about JVR?— Fabulous- Once agains we get screwed by the League office! Malkin's elbow should be enough for some time off but becaue he is what the league considers a superstar he will get away with the way he elbows and cheap shots players. I can bet the farm if it was FLYER who elbowed Malkin or Cindy "CRYBABY" Crosby that player would of gotten at least 2 game if not more! Double standard for every team except the FLYERS! After tonights game the Penguins will be wondering how they were beating by what almost everyone said wasn't good enough to beat them...... LETS GO FLYERS!!!!!— srcdaddy1216
- I'd like to know what Kubina's +/- rating is for the playoffs so far, I've got him at -7.— edseagles
- Perhaps you should just look it up, because your counting is pretty off. He is a -1. The worst Flyers are -4. — Sidewinder7
- Um...it's time for people with legal training not former hockey players to deliberate punishment for players who intentionally attempt to injure people. Ever since the Pens went after Briere near the close of the season, it has been obvious that they are blatantly
trying to injure key players. Only Asham and Neal were suspended after reviews (Adams' was mandatory). Neal should be out for the season. Malkin should be sitting tonight. Reeeeeediculous.— retzlaff - Why couldn't Kubina(a 7th defenseman) or Carle (a 6th defenseman) have been concussed?— homerjay99
- The refs made all the dinky calls in Game 4 and "missed" the elbow to the head against a key Flyer that causes a serious injury. Nice way to influence the series... FlyerFan4Life, please add the video of this Malkin cheap shot to your lengthy list of links of penguin cheap shots. It's ridiculous what this team keeps getting away with -- and nobody talks about. Had it been reversed, and an important penguin was out with a concussion on an uncalled (ha!) elbow, it's all we'd be hearing about. We'd get another lecture from Mario Lemieux and whining from cindy crysby about how they've been victimized again. And, definitely, a hearing with Shanahan. Now -- silence.— PhilaLogic
- Why should an ugly troll, from a city that once boasted BLACK AIR ( yes, their air was BLACK, which accounts for all the mental illness, inarticulate ramblings of the children whose parents were exposed ), come here to our boards, gloat, when all it takes is one loss to eliminate his team? Because the genius is oblivious to the fact that the PIGGY PENS are on the verge of elimination, and wouldn't know or comprehend the bias of the league against the Flyers, so don't waste your breath on these idiots. Just remember, we have greenery, a Colonial history, attractions, and are a world classc city. Pittsburgh? It's the PITTS. GO FLYERS!!— PhillyboyinNYC
- And Bourdon was head-hunted into a concussion in game 1. 2 down...how many more to go Pens? Is that directive coming from Mario?— potus
- Man do we need Mezaros back in a hurry!!! Shanny did say in his video if it caused an injury then there is reason for a bigger suspension, oh wait he forgot to add no suspensions or hearings for Malkin or Crosby.— fman727
- Why are you people so upset about the cheap shots. Most of you want an all finesse team, with no grit, but complain when teams take cheap shots against the Flyers. What do you expect when you have a team full of softies. This would never happen to the Rangers, they actually have toughness.— oobeyboobey
- Clearly you missed the last Pens-Rangers game of the regular season. Orpik hits Stepan of the Rangers on knee to knee contact--so toughness is irrelevant.
Besides, the Flyers have taken the high road and not responded to the cheapshots. If they did, half the Pens would be in the hospital recovering from concussions, slashes and broken bones.— ena1977 - Seriously, let the pen fan trolls keep talking. The game tonight, a flyers win by the way, do our talking...— ruthlezzone
- call in somebody (harry z) and make him elbow crosby in the head. If he gets suspended,so what— sammydelphia
