The Flyers kept the same line-up from Sunday against the Florida Panthers in their final game before the All Star break except for one notable change- Sergei Bobrovsky received the nod to start in net.
Bob made 23 saves on 25 shots through regulation and stopped all three attempts in a shootout to secure two points for the Flyers heading into the break.
Not to throw fuel onto the “goaltending controversy” fire, but Bob played very well in net against a Panthers team that is a legitimate threat this season. Considering the shootout seemed like a weak link for the team following Ilya Bryzgalov’s abysmal performance against the Boston Bruins and the Colorado Avalanche, it raises questions when Bobrovsky can actually get the job done.
Lisa Hillary of CSNPhilly asked in the post-game analysis (paraphrasing), “What must Bryz be thinking?”
The two goals that Bobrovsky allowed in regulation both followed scrambling saves against other difficult shots with little to no support from his teammates on the rebound.
The first goal was scored on the powerplay after Tom Sestito went to the box for charging. Sestito avoided a suspension from Brendan Shanahan for his hit on Nathan Horton on Sunday, but he will be under heavy scrutiny until he can prove to the league that he is not a dangerous liability.
He took one step in that direction by assisting on the Flyers’ second goal of the game, a redirection goal from Jake Voracek.
On the second goal, Bob made a great stop on a breakaway against former Flyer Kris Versteeg , but Tomas Fleischmann was right there with him to grab the rebound. There were no Flyers within ten feet of either player.
Brayden Schenn, everybody’s favorite trade bait, followed up a great game against the Bruins with a game tying goal on the powerplay.
The pace of the game was frenetic, with both teams volleying back-and-forth. In spite of a number of defensive breakdowns where the Flyers appeared to lose their composure, the team continued to play well with eight rookies in the line-up.
The All Star break couldn’t come at a better time. It not only gives some of the injured forwards more time to recuperate, but it gives some of the forwards like Claude Giroux a chance to rest. Giroux finished the game with 27:17 of ice time, as coach Peter Laviolette tried to get him going in all situations.
The Flyers don’t play again until a week from today, when they host the Winnipeg Jets. For those who are still enamored with the idea of trading for Shea Weber or Ryan Suter, the Nashville Predators will be in town a week from Thursday.
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