Plus Toronto is coming off a huge win against Montreal so it's possible they'll be riding too high and the Flyers will be able to pounce on them offensively. I'm sure that's what everyone will be saying if the Flyers do lit them up, anyway.
- NickTheKid87

I play Bryzgalov tonight. Hopefully get the road trip off to a good start with a win. Then they have to hop on a long flight to Winnipeg. Good game to play the backup.

I was saying that I understand that he gets called, not that I understand the reasoning.

I may sound like a Homer here.. but guys like Kaleta, Burrows, Lapierre, Ott, etc. all get MUCH more leeway than Rinaldo.
- jak521

Their fan bases would probably disagree with you.

Their fan bases would probably disagree with you.
- Scoob

I know.. just frustrating to watch Rhino get raped.

I play Bryzgalov tonight. Hopefully get the road trip off to a good start with a win. Then they have to hop on a long flight to Winnipeg. Good game to play the backup.
- MJL

I think it's really 6 of one, half dozen of another. Either you give Bryz the extra day of rest and sit him tonight or you start him tonight & give him the rest tomorrow for the trek to Winnipeg. I'd lean toward the former though because if they end up losing tonight with Bryz in net, then the whole plan is screwed. It would be an "acceptable loss", if that makes sense, if Bouch is in net.

Sure, the Flyers haven't won the Cup since 1975. The last time the Rangers won the Cup I had no children. My older one is in college now. I think we can toss that "most recent" stuff in the garbage.
- Scoob

Good morning from Leafs Nation.

Buy you a cup of coffee?

I think it's really 6 of one, half dozen of another. Either you give Bryz the extra day of rest and sit him tonight or you start him tonight & give him the rest tomorrow for the trek to Winnipeg. I'd lean toward the former though because if they end up losing tonight with Bryz in net, then the whole plan is screwed. It would be an "acceptable loss", if that makes sense, if Bouch is in net.
- NickTheKid87

Play Boucher.

It's the right thing to do.

Also, as a note to Laviolette:
PLEASE MOVE DANNY BRIERE BACK TO CENTER!!!

I don't know exactly, why, but he just doesn't produce on the wing. He got time and space for the first time in the whole game in OT on Saturday and scored. His reluctance to put him back at center reminds me of him putting Carter and Richards on the same line in the SCF and refusing to split them up even though they were awful together. It seems like it SHOULD work, but it isn't.
- jmatchett

I find it to be way more important to have Schenn in the middle. There is no way you take Giroux or Couturier away from the middle of the ice, so it's Schenn vs. Briere in this case. For the long term, it is much more important to have Schenn at center.

This is just me, but I feel Briere has played well in all the situations he has been places in. Solid chemistry with Giroux. Briere also brings a sneaky element behind the net on the pp, something we never took advantage of all of last season.

Also, as a note to Laviolette:
PLEASE MOVE DANNY BRIERE BACK TO CENTER!!!

I don't know exactly, why, but he just doesn't produce on the wing. He got time and space for the first time in the whole game in OT on Saturday and scored. His reluctance to put him back at center reminds me of him putting Carter and Richards on the same line in the SCF and refusing to split them up even though they were awful together. It seems like it SHOULD work, but it isn't.
- jmatchett

I find it to be way more important to have Schenn in the middle. There is no way you take Giroux or Couturier away from the middle of the ice, so it's Schenn vs. Briere in this case. For the long term, it is much more important to have Schenn at center.

This is just me, but I feel Briere has played well in all the situations he has been places in. Solid chemistry with Giroux. Briere also brings a sneaky element behind the net on the pp, something we never took advantage of all of last season.

Play Boucher.

It's the right thing to do.
- Atomic Wedgie

I think it is. Have to look at the big picture. An extra days rest would do Bryzgalov a world of good right now.

Luckily for the Flyers the leafs still can't play in the ACC. This season I wish we could just play every game on the road.

I think you are right. I would start Boucher tonight and Bryz tomorrow. And here is why.

1. It gives Bryz an extra day rest
2. Have to stop avoiding using Bryz in Winnipeg.
3. If Bryz starts tonight, and Flyers lose, good amount of pressure on Boucher tomorrow and the road trip may get off to an ugly start.
- PLindbergh31

Flyers only avoided using Bryzgalov -- who was mired in a horrific slump and had just been strafed relieving Bobrovsky in the 9-8 game against the Jets -- the first game in Winnipeg last year. He did start the second and final meeting in Winnipeg and won in OT. He gave up 4 goals in that one, but actually finished very strong after a rough first two periods.

To me, though, it makes more sense to start Boucher tomorrow night. Under the absolute best of circumstances, tomorrow is going to be a hang-in-by-the-skin-of-your-teeth game as the third game of a 3-in-4 and trailing end of a b2b with a lot of travel involved.

Even if Bryzgalov starts tomorrow and plays well, it could be a high scoring game. As such, I'd rather have an optimal on-paper shot at beating Toronto tonight and then hoping my team scores enough early goals to carry one or two points out of Winnipeg.

Also, if one of the two Flyers goalies is going to take a beating tomorrow night because of a fatigued team playing a club that gives them defensive trouble anyway, better for it to be the backup.

That's not to say Bryzgalov couldn't have a bad night tonight, too, but the on-paper logic favors going with him tonight and then just hoping for the best tomorrow.

I think it is. Have to look at the big picture. An extra days rest would do Bryzgalov a world of good right now.
- PLindbergh31

Same with Giroux.

I worry about that little guy.

Let him take tonight off.

Same with Giroux.

I worry about that little guy.

Let him take tonight off.
- Atomic Wedgie

Let's not get crazy.

Flyers only avoided using Bryzgalov -- who was mired in a horrific slump and had just been strafed relieving Bobrovsky in the 9-8 game against the Jets -- the first game in Winnipeg last year. He did start the second and final meeting in Winnipeg and won in OT. He gave up 4 goals in that one, but actually finished very strong after a rough first two periods.

To me, though, it makes more sense to start Boucher tomorrow night. Under the absolute best of circumstances, tomorrow is going to be a hang-in-by-the-skin-of-your-teeth game as the third game of a 3-in-4 and trailing end of a b2b with a lot of travel involved.

Even if Bryzgalov starts tomorrow and plays well, it could be a high scoring game. As such, I'd rather have an optimal on-paper shot at beating Toronto tonight and then hoping my team scores enough early goals to carry one or two points out of Winnipeg.

Also, if one of the two Flyers goalies is going to take a beating tomorrow night because of a fatigued team playing a club that gives them defensive trouble anyway, better for it to be the backup.

That's not to say Bryzgalov couldn't have a bad night tonight, too, but the on-paper logic favors going with him tonight and then just hoping for the best tomorrow.
- bmeltzer

I just don't think last year's record has much relevance to tomorrow night's game.

Good morning from Leafs Nation.

Buy you a cup of coffee?
- Atomic Wedgie

Sure, light with no sugar.

PS: Last time the Leafs won the Cup I was barely a child.

I was saying that I understand that he gets called, not that I understand the reasoning.

I may sound like a Homer here.. but guys like Kaleta, Burrows, Lapierre, Ott, etc. all get MUCH more leeway than Rinaldo.
- jak521

And atleast Zac will drop the gloves when challened after what may be percieved as a questionable hit. Pukes like Kaleta, Lapierre and Ott cross the line and then someone drops the gloves for them. Ott fought the other day and hung on for dear life.

Flyers only avoided using Bryzgalov -- who was mired in a horrific slump and had just been strafed relieving Bobrovsky in the 9-8 game against the Jets -- the first game in Winnipeg last year. He did start the second and final meeting in Winnipeg and won in OT. He gave up 4 goals in that one, but actually finished very strong after a rough first two periods.

To me, though, it makes more sense to start Boucher tomorrow night. Under the absolute best of circumstances, tomorrow is going to be a hang-in-by-the-skin-of-your-teeth game as the third game of a 3-in-4 and trailing end of a b2b with a lot of travel involved.

Even if Bryzgalov starts tomorrow and plays well, it could be a high scoring game. As such, I'd rather have an optimal on-paper shot at beating Toronto tonight and then hoping my team scores enough early goals to carry one or two points out of Winnipeg.

Also, if one of the two Flyers goalies is going to take a beating tomorrow night because of a fatigued team playing a club that gives them defensive trouble anyway, better for it to be the backup.

That's not to say Bryzgalov couldn't have a bad night tonight, too, but the on-paper logic favors going with him tonight and then just hoping for the best tomorrow.
- bmeltzer

All fair points Bill. Valid reasons can be made on both sides of the coin. Just get two points, I don't really care how.

If grabo does get suspended it will likely be after this game, the ruling is comming too late for them to call someone up, lack of evidence probably says he doesnt. the burrows incident was more obvious.

Same with Giroux.

I worry about that little guy.

Let him take tonight off.
- Atomic Wedgie

What's the word with Grabovski? Has he been suspended?

If grabo does get suspended it will likely be after this game, the ruling is comming too late for them to call someone up, lack of evidence probably says he doesnt. the burrows incident was more obvious.
- ky678468

From the video I saw it looked pretty clear he bit Pacioretty.

I just don't think last year's record has much relevance to tomorrow night's game.
- Atomic Wedgie

It's been a multi-year trend, though last year was crazy in terms of how high scoring three of the four games were (on both sides; Flyers just came out on the wrong end of two of the three high scores and the one shootout).

Sure, light with no sugar.

PS: Last time the Leafs won the Cup I was barely a child.
- Scoob

you forgot to mention no playoffs for a decade

All fair points Bill. Valid reasons can be made on both sides of the coin. Just get two points, I don't really care how.

- PLindbergh31

Yup... win pretty, win ugly. Just win.

If other teams want to dress a goon, rather than play into their hands, make It more than clear any shenanigans will be met by Rinaldo or Luke Schenn knocking Kessel into next week.
- Jsaquella

LMAO, you realize how slow Schenn is right? And how much faster Kessel is? Schenn throws pillow fists too so i'm pretty sure he's not scaring anyone out there but his own goaltender .

Yes. He certainly didn't dig himself a Steve Downie sized hole. If he just plays hard and keeps his nose clean he'll eventually have a good reputation.
- Scoob

Any players come to mind? Not to give you a hard time, but I'm trying to think of players that were constantly in the ref's dog house but eventually worked their way out of it.