Collier: Flyers goalie plays foil again
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Destiny might have a new home, as the Penguins insist, but so does a 22-year-old Russian rookie named Sergei Bobrovsky, and like it or not, it's the very same swanky place.
The young Philadelphia Flyers goalie might be from Novokuznetsk, but Bobrovsky looks stunningly at home on Penguin ice, unless Tuesday night's 5-2 victory against Marc-Andre Fleury was simply a bonus-content rerun of his 3-2 victory against Marc-Andre Fleury on Oct. 29, which was unlikely to have been a rerun of his 3-2 victory against Marc-Andre Fleury three weeks before that.
No, there's no need to consult your local listings. The Flyers have now beaten the Penguins in all three of this season's appointments at 1001 Fifth Ave., a virtual mirror images hat trick that might throw a shadow over the postseason.
Penguins coach Dan Bylsma declined in invitation to address the significance of three Bobrovsky victories against his franchise goalie in Fleury's building, but allowed that the Flyers got superb goaltending at critical times.
"I think we, somewhat disappointingly, didn't capitalize on some good chances," Bylsma said. "But the Letang play was a strong save certainly, and he made some strong plays in traffic. I think we probably left him off the hook early when we had some pretty good shots on net, and we get only 11 shots halfway through the hockey game, that's not where we want to be."
What this third flop to the Flyers means in the stark aftermath is merely that the Flyers will almost certainly hang on to win the Atlantic Division and the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, or at least without further protest from a battered Penguins team that insisted its post-Crosby goal was nothing less than that.
There's little point in even the suggestion that Philly does not deserve it, as Tuesday night's effort means the Flyers have not only set a franchise record with 25 road wins, but now own a thunderously efficient 16-3-2 record against its Atlantic whipping boys.
That Flyers coach Peter Laviolette has continued to waffle on the identity of his postseason goalie, perhaps in an attempt not to ruffle the veteran Brian Boucher, seems just a little anti-climactic as the Broad Streeters head toward the playoffs as a pretty clear conference favorite.
The difference between the Flyers and the Penguins might best be expressed in the way they've played 5-on-5 this season, as neither team has been even competent with a man advantage (the Penguins are two for their past 59 on the power play). With all hands on deck, the Penguins have scored just 12 more goals than their opponents. In that same situation, Philly's goal advantage is 32.
First Published March 30, 2011 12:00 am
