Fly-by: Flyers 1, Maple Leafs 0 (SO)
Saturday, 03.10.2012 / 6:02 PM
/ News
philadelphiaflyers.com
Comment
Print |
 |
||
|
FIVE ALIVE
Claude Giroux came down the ice; medium speed and for the most part straight in on net like dozens of shootout attempts he had done before, hundreds, and most likely thousands of times most players in the NHL began their shootout attempts as well.
What took place next was most certainly NOT what many players in the NHL could pull off. Giroux faked a shot, pulled the puck back, decked to the goalie's right blocker side and just when it seemed like he had run out of room with the puck behind his body, Giroux flicked the puck underneath the crossbar to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead in the shootout. That 1-0 lead was all the Flyers needed because of yet another stellar performance from the man between the pipes. Ilya Bryzgalov recorded 29 saves, many of them scoring chances which included a dangerous one-timer in the slot on a Toronto power-play by Matt Frattin and tough save on a breakaway from Toronto's leading scorer, Phil Kessel, in the overtime session. For Bryzgalov, tonight was his 11th consecutive start in net, his second straight shutout and third in his last four outings. He now owns a shutout streak of 136:13 and in his last 255 minutes of ice time, he has allowed just two goals to slip by him, stopping 135 of 137 shots during that span. |
There were a total of 92 hits in the game – 48 for the Flyers and 44 for Toronto. The Flyers blocked 22 shots to Toronto’s nine. They have blocked 15 or more shots in seven consecutive games and have out-blocked their opponent 79-33 in the last four games. The last time the Flyers had zero power play opportunities in a game was Feb. 21, 2008 vs. San Jose (3-1 L) This is just the second time in franchise history the Flyers have had two games end scoreless after regulation in the same season – the 2002-03 season, when they lost 1-0 to NJ on Dec. 2 and 1-0 to Boston on Jan. 25, both in overtime. Prior to this season, the Flyers had only had nine games end scoreless after regulation and overtime in the franchise’s history, and never had two happen in the same season. This season’s two double-shutouts are the second and third in the shootout era in a game involving the Flyers. 
That's because for the second game in-a-row he has shut out the opposition. Bryzgalov turned away all 29 shots he saw in regulation and overtime, while also denying all three Maple Leafs in the shootout. The shutout was his third in his last four games, fifth of the season and 28th of his career. |
||
 |
 |
||
"He's got his confidence back and it's a lot of fun to see him dominate games like that." - Claude Giroux on Ilya Bryzgalov "It's not fair. I saw him do that a couple times, but I didn't think he would do that in a game. It's unreal." - Ilya Bryzgalov on Claude Giroux's shootout move |
Tonight's turning point came on a crucial save just past the midway point of the second period. With Scott Hartnell in the box for interference and the Maple Leafs circling in the zone, Ilya Bryzgalov made a stellar save on a point-blank one-timer in the slot to keep the Leafs off the board. The Flyers quickly cleared the puck and the Leafs did not get another scoring chance on the power-play. From there Bryzgalov and the Flyers shut down every opportunity through regulation, overtime and three players in the shootout. |
||
PIC OF THE NIGHT: The Flyers gather around Ilya Bryzgalov moments after his 2nd straight shutout.  |
|||
 Flyers 1, Maple Leafs 0 Associated Press TORONTO (AP) - Claude Giroux's move in the shootout was so good Ilya Bryzgalov was glad he was on his team. Giroux scored the only goal in the shootout and Bryzgalov made 29 saves for his third shutout in the past four games, lifting the Philadelphia Flyers to a 1-0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night. Giroux borrowed Pavel Datsyuk's signature move to beat Jonas Gustavsson in the tiebreaker. He made a gorgeous deke before lifting the puck into the top of the net.  FULL RECAP |
|||
