I'm utterly convinced people are criticizing Bryzgalov out of sheer hatred and unfamiliarity for him being paid so lucratively. Now hear me out, his numbers are terrible and warrant some criticism. However he's had more good games than bad. This is a team that had gone over a calender year before getting a shutout with about 5 different goalies if you count Leighton's two starts. We are seriously soft on the backend and Bryzgalov has never shown he can rise above a defensively flawed team. I don't think the management expected him to be that. A healthy Chris Pronger erases a significant amount of the scoring opportunities we are seeing. Last week Bobrovsky had 5 goals against due to the poor play in front. Yesterday wasnt quite that. I think two of the goals were due to that and two more were those Bryz wishes he had back and then one that shouldn't have been allowed because of a horrible missed interference.

With that said the Flyers took the Bruins to a farceout with like 8 rookies two of which were AHL callups and I for the life of me won't be able to pinpoint why they send Sestito down if they do. He clearly had an impact on that game getting under the skin of the Bruins.

It goes hand in hand.

Martin Brodeur has won exactly one playoff series since the Devils lost Niedermayer, Stevens and Daneyko. Thomas plays behind a good defensive team and Chara.

That said, I think that a lot of things snowballed on Bryzgalov this year. He's had bad luck, and been victimized by poor play. In turn that seems to have affected his confidence and has his fundamentals thrown off.

He seems indecisive at times and he's not playing at the top of his crease. That leaves him more prone to allowing deflection goals. He seems to be cheating, as if he's expecting a deflection or breakdown.

He has to work hard to get his fundamentals straight and his confidence back.
- Jsaquella

He looks defensive.. he is fighting pucks, and trying to hard to do too much, partially because of all of the bad luck and break downs, which in turn seem to have killed his confidence. He needs to shorten his memory, and play simple. Im sure the bad bounces and breakdowns will surely slow down..

Bryz needs to go back to the We the People mask. The tigers aren't cutting it. Only my opinion BUT it is FACT that he had his only shutout while wearing the We The People mask.

Discuss.....

Holy (frank). The Red Wings have won 17 straight home games. Wow.

They will be tested tonight by that Blue Note that roles into Motown. Great game looking forward to watching it.
- PLindbergh31

Oh man I hope Center Ice carries that game tonight. If I had one complaint about the NHL package it is that almost every night, it DOESN'T have the one game I looked most forward to watching.

It goes hand in hand.

Martin Brodeur has won exactly one playoff series since the Devils lost Niedermayer, Stevens and Daneyko. Thomas plays behind a good defensive team and Chara.

That said, I think that a lot of things snowballed on Bryzgalov this year. He's had bad luck, and been victimized by poor play. In turn that seems to have affected his confidence and has his fundamentals thrown off.

He seems indecisive at times and he's not playing at the top of his crease. That leaves him more prone to allowing deflection goals. He seems to be cheating, as if he's expecting a deflection or breakdown.

He has to work hard to get his fundamentals straight and his confidence back.
- Jsaquella

Dam i said this 2 years ago and everyone jumped on me.
the team in front can make or break the goalie. The goalie may have talent but if the team isn't doing their job, it doesn't matter how good the goalie is, the team is not going to win.

Bryz needs to go back to the We the People mask. The tigers aren't cutting it. Only my opinion BUT it is FACT that he had his only shutout while wearing the We The People mask.

Discuss.....
- hockeylover

idc if he wears a paper bag over his head if he wins us games

And what I see, is a lot of people rooting for him to fail. I see a lot of people blaming him for every single goal. I see people trying to tell those others to look at the bigger picture, and not be so shallow minded, and I see them getting labeled as apologists.

Yes. His fundamentals are off. He's had issues tracking the puck. His rebound control has been wanting. His lateral movement, at times has looked more stiff than a corpse. His glove hand hasn't been very reliable at times, as he's failed to catch several pucks that hit his glove.

Is that being negative enough about him for your taste? Should I criticize his comments on HBO? How about his jacket that looks like it came from a Members Only outlet store in Delaware? Because people don't just stop at blaming him for his on ice performance, they carry it over into his personality.

If that causes some of us to limit our critique to one sentence in a post, or if some of us want to focus on the good in his game and the likelihood of him bouncing back and playing well then I guess you can either deal with it, or ignore what we post.
- Jsaquella

Im obviously not one of those who has a personal animus against bryz. I like the guy and I just judge him as objectively as I can. even allowing for some of the poor coverage issues and assorted fluky goals, I would expect him to be at about 2.60 and .915. let's hope he gets there. the fact that we have as many points as we do speaks to the competitiveness of the team as much as anything.

I'm utterly convinced people are criticizing Bryzgalov out of sheer hatred and unfamiliarity for him being paid so lucratively. Now hear me out, his numbers are terrible and warrant some criticism. However he's had more good games than bad. This is a team that had gone over a calender year before getting a shutout with about 5 different goalies if you count Leighton's two starts. We are seriously soft on the backend and Bryzgalov has never shown he can rise above a defensively flawed team. I don't think the management expected him to be that. A healthy Chris Pronger erases a significant amount of the scoring opportunities we are seeing. Last week Bobrovsky had 5 goals against due to the poor play in front. Yesterday wasnt quite that. I think two of the goals were due to that and two more were those Bryz wishes he had back and then one that shouldn't have been allowed because of a horrible missed interference.



With that said the Flyers took the Bruins to a farceout with like 8 rookies two of which were AHL callups and I for the life of me won't be able to pinpoint why they send Sestito down if they do. He clearly had an impact on that game getting under the skin of the Bruins.
- JoeRussomanno

Oh man I hope Center Ice carries that game tonight. If I had one complaint about the NHL package it is that almost every night, it DOESN'T have the one game I looked most forward to watching.

- MBFlyerfan

Game is on NBC/Versus

My major complaint about Center Ice is all the games aren't in HD. That's a joke.

Anyone know the status of Betts? I heard he was getting better and wanted to play this season. With his cheap cap hit, and our lack of offensive defense, what do you guys think about bringing him back for a checking roll if a move is made before the deadline. As someone else said, it would be nice to have a shut-down defensive line on this team.

Lost 4 of 6
- PLindbergh31

that's all? it seemed like a hundred at the time especially in the defensive zone

Not only that, but they play a blue collar game. TJ Oshie can flat out play. He also hits like a truck. David Backes is one of the true leaders in the game. Plays both ends of the ice very well.. is a big 1st line power forward, just flat out gives it his all.

Pietrangelo is gonna be a hell of player.. scary the potential that team possesses
- jak521

Absolutely. Looks like they are ahead of schedule.

Dam i said this 2 years ago and everyone jumped on me.
the team in front can make or break the goalie. The goalie may have talent but if the team isn't doing their job, it doesn't matter how good the goalie is, the team is not going to win.
- phi1671

See: Miller, Ryan.

He looks defensive.. he is fighting pucks, and trying to hard to do too much, partially because of all of the bad luck and break downs, which in turn seem to have killed his confidence. He needs to shorten his memory, and play simple. Im sure the bad bounces and breakdowns will surely slow down..
- jak521

The All Farce break cant come soon enough. Hopefully he gets centered again, uses the break to get healthy, and gets his game more consistently on track.

Same can be said for the TEAM defensive strategy.

I cant help but always go back to reading an interview about Bryz where he says he hates for his team to try to block or deflect shots and would rather them clear the path. Then I read where Berube is constantly getting on the d to block more shots.

It seems to me that something needs to change there, and that it should be on the d side.

Anyone know the status of Betts? I heard he was getting better and wanted to play this season. With his cheap cap hit, and our lack of offensive defense, what do you guys think about bringing him back for a checking roll if a move is made before the deadline. As someone else said, it would be nice to have a shut-down defensive line on this team.
- RooNosHockey

Holmger said last week in an interview that his knee isn't doing well and do not expect him back this year.

that's all? it seemed like a hundred at the time especially in the defensive zone
- Don'tForgetTocchet

Yup only took 6. He played less than 6 minutes.

Game is on NBC/Versus
- PLindbergh31

Good!. I know what I will be watching.

Anyone know the status of Betts? I heard he was getting better and wanted to play this season. With his cheap cap hit, and our lack of offensive defense, what do you guys think about bringing him back for a checking roll if a move is made before the deadline. As someone else said, it would be nice to have a shut-down defensive line on this team.
- RooNosHockey

I read last week he was on the ice practicing, however I do not know whether it was on his own or with others. I agree about his presence returning to the lineup if he is healthy. He could be a huge player for us come springtime. If he possess the same game we are used to. The issue of course, is the roster.

Anyone know the status of Betts? I heard he was getting better and wanted to play this season. With his cheap cap hit, and our lack of offensive defense, what do you guys think about bringing him back for a checking roll if a move is made before the deadline. As someone else said, it would be nice to have a shut-down defensive line on this team.
- RooNosHockey

Homer reported that his knee is screwed up and maybe something else. He doubts he will play this season.

In Homer talk, he will be in the lineup on Tuesday. (j/k)

crims boy hitchcock has done wonders with the blues.

Homer reported that his knee is screwed up and maybe something else. He doubts he will play this season.

In Homer talk, he will be in the lineup on Tuesday. (j/k)
- phi1671

Im obviously not one of those who has a personal animus against bryz. I like the guy and I just judge him as objectively as I can. even allowing for some of the poor coverage issues and assorted fluky goals, I would expect him to be at about 2.60 and .915. let's hope he gets there. the fact that we have as many points as we do speaks to the competitiveness of the team as much as anything.
- isaiah520

I would still be surprised if he doesn't finish around those numbers.



edit: to be fair, had you told me those would be his final numbers before the season started, I would have been a little disappointed.

total wine baby
- phi1671

So illegal to carry alcohol over state lines... SO illegal!

It goes hand in hand.

Martin Brodeur has won exactly one playoff series since the Devils lost Niedermayer, Stevens and Daneyko. Thomas plays behind a good defensive team and Chara.

That said, I think that a lot of things snowballed on Bryzgalov this year. He's had bad luck, and been victimized by poor play. In turn that seems to have affected his confidence and has his fundamentals thrown off.

He seems indecisive at times and he's not playing at the top of his crease. That leaves him more prone to allowing deflection goals. He seems to be cheating, as if he's expecting a deflection or breakdown.

He has to work hard to get his fundamentals straight and his confidence back.
- Jsaquella

that was my problem with the lucic goal. yes, it was a well placed shot through a partial screen, but he was in the crease and a bit off his angle - not out challenging. the puck went in because there was room. that's a sign of a guy who's just not that confident in his play. it's not all game, every game, but he has lapses. unfortunately the lapses seem to burn him a lot.

Oh man I hope Center Ice carries that game tonight. If I had one complaint about the NHL package it is that almost every night, it DOESN'T have the one game I looked most forward to watching.

- MBFlyerfan

?? mine carries every game unless locally blacked out