Posted: Wednesday, February 25, 2009, 11:24 PM | 3 comments |
 

Two-goalie system pushing Flyers
options
 

Maybe this two-goalie system is going to work to the Flyers' advantage.

I know. I know. Conventional wisdom says a team needs to ride one goalie in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

True, but the late-season goalie competition that has been created _ by Marty Biron's inconsistency and Antero Niittymaki's steady play _ may be a blessing in disguise.

It is causing coach John Stevens to play both goalies and hoping one emerges as the clear-cut No. 1.

That should keep both goalies extra focused _ and sharp _ as the regular season winds down.

In the last two games, each goalie has been superb.

In the Flyers' 2-0 win over Los Angeles tonight, Biron made 34 saves and notched his second shutout of the season. It was also his 25th career shutout. The previous night, Niittymaki excelled in a 4-2 win at powerful Washington.

"That's the way you need it to be," said Biron when it was mentioned that both goalies have played like No. 1 performers in the last two games. "I really don't know of too many teams that get in the playoffs with only one guy really pulling the load. That's the way it's been. We push each other. Last night, was a great effort by Nitty. He kept us in the game with all those breakaways we gave them. Tonight, they just seemed to go my way, too. That's the way we want it to be."

Both goalies say they are pulling for each other.

"We both want to get in there and lead the team, but some nights you're going to have to be supportive and some nights you're going to go in there and you're going to have to do your job," Biron said.

Biron said the goalies aren't concerned about battling for the No. 1 spot.

"That's stuff we don't care about it here," he said. "We play a game. Who cares who is first line?....That's the way you've got to have a team to succeed."

Coach John Stevens was asked if he would consider using two goalies in the playoffs.

“My focus right now is getting our team into the playoffs," he said. "I think by that time, someone is going to take the lead role and then somebody is going to be the guy we count on."

So there you have it: Twenty-three games to decide who will play that leading role.

_ Sam Carchidi
 
Posted by Sam Carchidi @ 11:24 PM  Permalink | 3 comments
3
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:43 PM, 02/26/2009
    One of the reasons the Flyers have been playing well the last 2 games is the emotion and energy they have had that has been missing in some of the games this year which they should have won. I think that has the goalies playing better and just about everyone playing better. 23 games is still a long time. This team has so much talent is ridiculous, plus we have a #2 pick playing what junior/minor league hockey..plus Sbisa..and the current club is still relatively young...nice future ahead of them...
    — Prego614
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:02 PM, 02/27/2009
    Unfortunately, the Flyers will need one of them to get hot. Each has holes in their game that will cost them in the playoffs. Nitty's positioning is ok, but he doesn't control rebounds well. Biron 's positioning or decision making can be a little shaky. I wouldn't have guessed they had the goaltending to go as deep as they did last year, so here's hoping...
    — no_shootouts
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:12 PM, 02/27/2009
    Scary to compare our goalie situation with the Devils.Nitty & Biron vs Brodeur & Clemenson.Need big d/man who clears out the area above the crease.Get one of our d/men and tell him all you have to do is take out the guy hanging around the net,really take him out,so when he is on the ice opponents will think twice before hanging in front
    — jet3to


3 comments
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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