Bryz will face Rangers tonight
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Bryz will face Rangers tonight
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
Ilya Bryzgalov, the NHL's player of the month, will return to the lineup and face the New York Rangers Tuesday night at the Wells Fargo Center.
The 31-year-old goalie missed the last three games with a chip fracture in his right foot.
Coach Peter Laviolette said Bryzgalov is healthy and he wants him to regain his sharpness for the playoffs.
In two starts against the Rangers this season, Bryzgalov is 0-2 with a 4.11 goals-against average and .869 save percentage. (Henrik Lundqvist numbers vs. the Flyers this season: 5-0, 1.60 GAA, .947 save percentage.)
Bryzgalov, however, has turned around his season since last facing the Rangers. He went 10-2-1 with a 1.43 GAA and .947 save percentage in March.
Sergei Bobrovsky started the last three games, going 2-0-1 and allowing a total of eight goals.
Defenseman Andreas Lilja, who had been nursing an upper-body injury, will also return to the lineup after missing the last five games. Jody Shelley will play for the first time since March 18.
Briere update. Center Danny Briere, who usually excels in the post-season, said he continues to have back spasms. Briere said he hopes to be able to play when the playoffs start next week, but that there is not timetable.
Briere was injured on an open-ice hit by Pittsburgh's Joe Vitale on Sunday. The veteran center called the hit clean, but said Vitale "was obviously trying to hurt me."
Probable lines. Here are the expected Flyers lines for Tuesday:
1. Claude Giroux centering Scott Hartnell and Jaromir Jagr.
2. Brayden Schenn centering Matt Read and Wayne Simmonds.
3. Sean Couturier centering Max Talbot and Jake Voracek.
4. Eric Wellwood centering Shelley and Zac Rinaldo.
Rangers' dominance. The Flyers will try to salvage a win in the season series against the Rangers. New York is 5-0 and has outscored the Flyers, 19-8, including a 10-3 advantage in the third period.
The Rangers will try for their first sweep against the Flyers since 1971-72. Over the last two years, they have won seven straight over the Flyers,
New York's magic number to clinch the East's top seed is one point.
Numbing numbers: The Flyers have trailed by at least 2-0 in six of their last nine games.
Follow Sam Carchidi on Twitter @BroadStBull.
Sam,will Schenn centre Simmonds and M.Read line?— Fabulous- Will be interesting to see how the boys play tonight we need to beat the stinking Rangers tonight so the boys know they can beat them. LETS GO FLYERS!!!!— srcdaddy1216
- Do the Flyers plan to recall any fighters/large bodies from the AHL or ECHL for Saturday's game against the Penguins? I see Mathers is with the Phantoms but wasn't sure if his contract would allow a call-up to the Flyers...Klotz too. If home ice is not on the line Saturday, then I'd like to see the Flyers dress all the fighters and big hitters in their system.— bgleas103
- I agree with bringing up another fighter for Saturdays game, if home ice isn't on the line. Yeah Vitales hit on Briere was clean but it was a payback hit for the crosscheck on Crosby by Schenn. And if that was the case go after Schenn, hes a big boy he can handle it, don't go after one of the smallest guys on the ice.....Lets' Go Flyers!!!— chuckf1800
- first of all crosby sticked schenn first as they were skating back towards the bench penguins get away with murder malkin shots at giroux when they were down .g has to start to get that respect from the ref he is a top 5 player if someone did that to "cry"sby its being called . we dont need to call up anyone we have plenty of team toughness we play hard and stand up for each other
Not often spoken of, is the PUNISHING effect of our 3rd line! It's been that way since week one when it was Talbot centering Read and Voracek. (part of the reason for Read's great numbers)
The skill level of our 3rd line is reflective of the overall depth of the 2011-12 Flyers squad. And Talbot's willingness to lead on that line (even though he could easily be higher on the depth chart) is key. Coach Laviolette rewards him with time on the PP & PK.- Need to get him a few games before the playoffs.— PhillySportsFix.com
- Too soon for Bryz? Hope the injury has affected the confidence he built the last month.— n62
- Nothing for nothing...how nice would it have been if the Flyers were able sign Stamkos. That guy is a stud. What a waste to play on a team like Tampa.— Phillyfan666
- If Saturday's game ends up being meaningless in the standings, I hope they bring up SESTITO for Saturday & rest Giroux. Don't need those pittsburgh punks takin liberties w/our best player. Lets see Vitale try to run Tommy boy & see what happens...— thomaspfoolery
- I say let the Penguins prepare for the physical beating they believe is coming, then whip them in actual hockey. Winning is sweeter revenge.— metapede
doubt anything will happen saturday, no use getting people bagged up before playing pitt 7 more times.— azguz- If the Flyers re-aquire Dan Carcillo & get Tom Sestito back from injury, they could play on a line with Zac Rinaldo - "The O Line"!— yechi7
- Did we sign Lindros to a 10-day contract?
— Sports4Life - Nothing for nothing...how nice would it have been if the Flyers were able sign Stamkos. That guy is a stud. What a waste to play on a team like Tampa.
At the end of the day, their cash is just as green as Philly's. And that's all that really matters to a player...— 7xChamp
