That fierce look.
- QuebecPride

Your fierce look is better.

Your fierce look is better.
- mr.peanut

only with the "snake" around his head

'Night fellas!

'Night fellas!
- pete26

Goodnight Pete!

'Night fellas!
- pete26

Night

Cause I`m a mean, hateful, crazy female dog.
- Beg4It

so your aren't any different from the rest?

'Night fellas!
- pete26

'Night Pete.

Almost an hour.

Sad.

Almost an hour.

Sad.
- Tee-Dot

STFU

STFU
- mr.peanut

lol

Dietz with another assist.

4 point night for him.
- QuebecPride

Got nothing on Rielly.

lol
- Crimsoninja

TypCrimsAnswer

Howard must enjoy the backreading very much.

Howard must enjoy the backreading very much.
- hon_hon_hon

He doesn't normally bother is my understanding, but I've been wrong before. I don't think it'll matter today though, it's Armageddon Day on the EE thread.

There has been a lot of overreaction by people to the fact that Ilya Bryzgalov has played sparingly -- and not particularly well -- thus far for CSKA. Heading into today, he has made just two starts, allowing 8 goals and stopping just 85.7 percent of the shots he's seen. A few of the goals came on plays where he either committed too early or had issues tracking the puck, which are common problems when he is not on top of his game.

However, everything needs to be placed in its proper context. It is not making excuses for Bryzgalov -- it is simply stating a fact -- to point out that the KHL teams have been playing for nearly two months including training camps and exhibition games. Bryzgalov did not have the benefit either of a formal camp (he took part in informal training sessions in Voorhees with other locked-out Flyers) or preseason games.

Moreover, it was going to be tough for him from the get-go to see all that much playing time for CSKA. Rastislav Stana is a very good KHL goalie and, while that's not the same as being a good NHL goaltender, it does mean that CSKA really has no need for Bryzgalov.

Look at it from the coach's perspective: He's going with the guy who has been winning games and on whom he has to count when the NHL lockout is over.

You may have noticed that teams around Europe have generally avoided signing NHL goalies thus far during the lockout. Most of the goalies who have signed -- Pekka Rinne, Ondrej Pavelec, Semyon Varlamov -- have either had some struggles of their own or have not played in a game. Niklas Bäckström got injured before he could play. Antti Niemi has been very good in two SM-liiga starts to date.

In all cases, however, we're talking about a very small sampling size of games. In addition, goaltending performance and team defense are closely interrelated. Sooner or later, one is either going to elevate or drag down the other. That's hockey, no matter what league you're talking about.

At the time CSKA signed Bryzgalov, many followers of the team questioned why he was even needed when the team already has former NHL goalie Stana. It was cynically suggested that Bryzgalov was brought in as much for publicity reasons -- CSKA got international press coverage via Reuters for their big introductory press conference with Pavel Datsyuk and Bryz -- as for any potential hockey benefits.

As of now, it appears that Bryzgalov will get regular playing time only if Stana gets injured or falters. Otherwise, I suspect he'll mostly play when the team has a tightly packed schedule, especially when it faces games on back-to-back days. After today's game, CSKA plays again on Wednesday and Friday.



Flyers fans will stop at nothing to think Bryz isn't poop right now.

While his good friend Nail Yakupov and so many other gifted Russians raced home to the KHL to play during the lockout, Grigorenko didn’t even bat and eye or hesitate while making his decision to stay in North America and to finish what he started last season when he helped to lead his Remparts squad to the Memorial Cup Finals.


Garth

hmmm didn't Shawinigan beat London in Mem Cup Final and the Sea Dogs won the Q.

It's worse than I thought it would be...

While his good friend Nail Yakupov and so many other gifted Russians raced home to the KHL to play during the lockout, Grigorenko didn’t even bat and eye or hesitate while making his decision to stay in North America and to finish what he started last season when he helped to lead his Remparts squad to the Memorial Cup Finals.


Garth

hmmm didn't Shawinigan beat London in Mem Cup Final and the Sea Dogs won the Q.
- BingoLady

FACTS HAVE NO PLACE

FACTS HAVE NO PLACE
- AdamFrench

How the hell did you survive?

EDIT: oh that's right, you're a "blogger" and immune.

It's worse than I thought it would be...
- RENATO6

*hides under desk*

FACTS HAVE NO PLACE
- AdamFrench

not when you can make them up.

not when you can make them up.
- BingoLady

he's making me hate grigorenko...(frank)ing garth

he's making me hate grigorenko...(frank)ing garth
- AdamFrench

I know. I actually was kinda hoping the Habs would draft him at one point now I am sick of hearing about him.