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Who's To Blame?

January 23, 2012, 8:31 PM ET [44 Comments]
Tim Panaccio
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
So who’s fault is it that the Flyers lost their third shootout on Sunday?

Is it Peter Laviolette’s fault because he almost never practices the shootout like some clubs do?

Is it is shooters’ fault because they seem to freeze up on the ice when confronted with having to stand at center ice, collect themselves, then break in on the goalie?

Or is it Ilya Bryzgalov’s fault because he can’t stop a shootout attempt if he were faced with having to go back to Russia as a consequence?

That the Flyers have such plethora of scorers – they are, after all, among the leading goal-scoring clubs in hockey _ and can’t find the net in the shootout is alarming, if not downright maddening.

My colleague at CSNPhilly.com, Jay Greenberg, said where this is going to bite the Flyers in the ass at the end of the season is in the standings.

Three shootout losses is three points fretted away from a team that doesn’t practice shootouts, from shooters who can’t score and from a goalie who almost admits he is terrified of shootouts, but doesn’t have a problem with breakaways during the course of a game.

Look at how close the standings are between the Flyers, Rangers, Bruins and the Ottawa Senators (from a Flyers standpoint).

I can almost see the Senators getting the 4th seed in the playoffs with the Flyers just behind them, losing out on home ice because of one, sticking point at season’s end.

A point that might have been earned by actually winning a shootout.

What baffles me is why the shootout is such a traumatic issue for some on goalies who seem fine with breakaways during a game.

To me, it’s the immediacy of a play during a game that should be even harder than the shootout where the goalie has time to set himself, stare down the shooter, get his mindset ready, etc.

When I asked the Bryzard of Oz today about the difference, he added something entirely different from the last time we discussed this subject.

Before, it was all about the nervous energy of getting ready to face the shooter, etc.

Today, he said the big handicap for a goalie was the fresh ice. Bryz said the ice is too wet, too slick from the Zamboni going down the middle to prep a clean, partial path for the shooter and goalie.

Bryzgalov said this may benefit the shooter more than the goalie because the goalie has to be careful in moving across the crease, side to side, so as to not slip and go “flying” to one side or the other.

He said he doesn’t like the fact he can’t dig his skates into the ice and get some traction going.

I have to admit, this is the first time I heard that excuse from a goaltender in the shootout.

Now, not to let Lavy off the hook here, but you should know that the coach repeated himself four times today that his team has been so hampered by the schedule in December and January, that it hasn’t had proper time to devote enough practice time to the shootout.

He’s right about that … to an extent. My feeling is, Lavy should end every practice with guys going half ice in a shootout against each goalie. Just do it and don’t worry about it.

I’m even okay with us getting into the dressing room a little later, if that’s the case.

Maybe it will help them score.

Or better yet, help Bryz get over the panic of having to do this every so many months.

**

Injury updates: Jaromir Jagr (groin pull) and James van Riemsdyk (concussion) were to remain behind and join the club going to Florida, GM Paul Holmgren said.

Also not making the trip was Zac Rinaldo (neck strain). Rinaldo re-aggravated an injury suffered in Nashville that crept up on him in practice this week. That same injury bothered him again at New Jersey on Saturday.

Danny Briere (concussion) made the trip to Florida to participate in the final two days of the father/son excursion, but won’t play against the Panthers, either.

There is NO timetable on either JVR or Briere. So, this All-Star break comes at a very good time for both to heal.
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