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Bryzgalov Laughs Last In Goaltender Duel 2-1 |
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Flyers win 2-1 in a heartbreaker at the end on a beautiful net drive by Matt Read. I expected a more exciting game but oh well.
I didn’t like the Briere penalty his stick just ran up on Gordon’s into Klesla’s face but a 4 minute penalty is a 4 minute penalty. That said the Flyers were dominant on the PK the Coyotes couldn’t get any time or traction. Matt Read, Sean Couturier and Claude Giroux were amazing on the PK. The 1st period to be honest was rather boring, both Smith and Bryzgalov were making routine saves from poor scoring chances. Both penalty kills were strong. Klesla and Talbot both left the ice with facial injuries leading to a lot of blood at least in Klesla’s case. No offense to the Flyers but their commentators on CSN boring as all hell, I don’t think I have ever heard them before but they reminded me unnervingly of watching baseball, snoozeville. I have to give props to Claude Giroux whose moustache may be the creepiest thing in the NHL right now, add the mullet and you have a porn star right there.
Chipchura gets into his first fight of the year against Zac Rinaldo, Chipchura won surprisingly. Yet again this period is a mix of middle zone trapping. Both teams playing picture perfect team defence, while I love it fundamentally I hate it visually. Van Riemsdyk scores with a nice move and a terrible play by Klesla to allow him unimpeded to Smith. Now the game is finally getting good. A nice steal by Talbot and the Flyers go in two on one, a nice pass to Voracek but he misses high. Ray Whitney comes back the other way on a breakaway but Bryzgalov makes a nice stop. Both teams after the goal are opening up. Timmonen gives a little high stick to Smith, I don’t think he was diving as the commentators seemed to but it wasn’t serious (Reimer with the big dive...oh wait that is a concussion). Got to love having two rookies as your top penalty killers, so much confidence in Couturier and Read. Whitney in the box on a pretty poor penalty, Talbot obviously was holding the stick though putting it near him was a pretty dumb move. The period ends and all I can think about is that Giroux moustache...
Period starts and Giroux off for hooking on Hanzal, not a fan of the call but yet again my friends the commentators he wasn’t embellishing...The powerless play continued and the Flyers were just dominating the penalty kill. Puck in the feet of Bryzgalov and the puck trickles in by what appears to be Boedker, looked a lot like what Derek Morris described in his less than friendly critique of his former teammate. Back to the power play for the Flyers and I’m nervous, not just because my feed on the game is skipping but because the Coyotes haven’t played well so far. Smith’s rebound control isn’t looking great so far, I know it’s his style but those punches will get him in trouble if the defence weren’t playing so well. I enjoyed the scrum with the referee yelling “The puck is out” yet nobody gives a crap. Commentators agitating again, Rinaldo was starting trouble with “tough guy” Yandle, it isn’t rookie vs veteran it is 331 penalty minute man vs Mr. I’ve never fought. Both teams just smothering one another and letting Bryzgalov and Smith do their job. It’s at this point I’d like to put my name forward for an NHL commentating job, I have an Australian accent what could be better for the game? Matt Read with an amazing play with 18 seconds left goes hard to the net and catches Smith swimming. Beautiful play by the rookie on the rebound from Voracek. Bad play by Morris who shouldn’t have tried to say he wasn’t hooking, if they are going to call it they would your hands in the air does nothing. Great game by both Bryzgalov and Smith, they both deserved to win, both teams were pretty blasé but the Flyers controlled the play more often than not.
Three Stars:
1. Mike Smith – Kept them in the game saved 40 of 42 shots.
2. Ilya Bryzgalov – I don’t know if the harsh words against him affected him but he was excellent.
3. Matt Read – Not just for the winning goal but he had about 3 great shorthanded chances and was just solid all night long.
The Flyers deserved to win this won and they did, was a pretty slow paced well coached game overall. Really didn't like Whitney and Vrbata tonight they just didn't do much, Doan as well was invisible all night long he didn't even bring the physicality you almost immediately expect from him. Yet again the Coyotes sat back whether willfully or not and this time they got burned.
Thanks for reading.
Follow me on Twitter @AdamFrenchReal
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