Minnesota Wild at Philadelphia Flyers Afterthoughts 1/17/12

Image courtesy of AP

Watching this game, it was a relief and a joy to see Ilya Bryzgalov play well, giving up one goal on 26 shots, leading the Flyers to a 5-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Barring the 1 minute after the goal by former Flyer Darroll Powe in the second period, the Flyers seemed to have this one in hand the whole way. Claude Giroux recorded his 200^th career point and Rookie Sean Couturier scored in his fifth straight game with an assist from fellow rookie Matt Read, one of his two on the night.

This offense is very good. Flyers fans know that. Even without winger James van Riemsdyk, who missed his second straight game due to a concussion, the team scored five goals. The real worry is the goalie. The $51 million dollar man, Ilya Bryzgalov has been very shaky as of late but he showed up last night with a huge game that will hopefully boost his confidence going forward. Albeit the goal he have up to Powe wasn’t a great one, it was just one mistake. In the past, he’s been making two, three and even four mistakes.

There are goals you can’t do anything about, and then there are goals like many of the ones Bryzgalov has been giving up for the last month. He’s been slumping and it’s important for him to get out of the slump if the team wants to make a legitimate playoff run. Backup Sergei Bobrovsky has been playing well in the time he’s been given, but the team traded for rights to Bryzgalov in June to solve their decade-long goalie problems. They want him to do well, and for good reason. Flyers fans want him to do well; he’s going to cost the team $5.7 million/year for the next nine seasons and he should play up to his contract at least.

Last week, I brought up the possibility of a goalie controversy in Philly. Coach Peter Laviolette has said that the team is sticking with Bryzgalov, letting him play out of his funk. He played well last night, and he has another opportunity Thursday at home against the Islanders, bottom-dwellers of the division. I sincerely hope his funk is over, and that he plays well in the foreseeable future, for his sake, for Laviolette’s sake and for the sake of the Flyers. If the funk lasts any longer, however, fans will revolt. They won’t take no for an answer to the question “Why not Bob?” But for now, and hopefully the remainder of the season, Bryzgalov is safe from that possibility and it’s up to him to make sure it stays that way.