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Bryz Goes; No Rinaldo

January 17, 2012, 2:34 PM ET [11 Comments]
Tim Panaccio
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Ilya Bryzgalov goes tonight against the Minnesota Wild.

He going to get the majority of starts in the second half, according to coach Peter Laviolette, while goalie coach Jeff Reese told me on MOnday he wants Bryz to play less than 60 games.

Bryzgalov averaged 64 for 4 years in Phoenix but said he was a bit tired when the playoffs came around last season.

Reese seemed to hint at that when he said that the object was to keep him "under" 60 games and "fresh for the playoffs and long grind."

A lot of Flyer fans are not sold on the Bryzard of Oz. It's not the whacky things he says, it's the fact he can't back them up with great play on the ice and that has turned a lot of fans off this season.

The Flyers need to have a clear cut No. 1 by the time the playoffs get here and I feel that by playing Bryz a lot of games right now gives them a chance to make it or break it with before the get to March.

Then again, Martin Gerber was Lavy's guy going into the 2006 playoffs and when it was over, Cam Ward was the hero.

Lavy gets very upset with labeling things No. 1 or No. 2 but for all intents and purposes, the Bryz is his No. 1 right now but that does not mean he will be the No. 1 come April, or if the FLyers are lucky, May or June.

*

GM Paul Holmgren said Monday that Zac Rinaldo's cut to the face was not going to keep him out of the lineup. PLayers thought he was to be a "game time" decision for tonight against Minny-snowda.

Not so. Holmgren announced that Rinaldo is now day-to-day with an upper body injury.

Here's what Lavy and goalie guru Jeff Reese had to say about Bryz on CSNPhilly.com:

Click Here
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