PLAYOFF REFLECTIONS: FLYERS GOALTENDING

BEATING A DEAD HORSE

To fully appreciate this article, open this url http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8X76NRiQLQ and listen to the song in the background.

Year after year, fans, executives and the media question whether the Philadelphia Flyers will have the goaltending to win a Stanley Cup. Once again,these answers were provided come playoff time with a horrific performance by the Flyers goalie, this time by Brian Boucher in the first period of game 5 last night against Buffalo.  With a roster stacked with 3 scoring lines, a good checking line, and the best 6-man defense core in the league when healthy, general manager Paul Holmgren chose not to address his goaltending situation before this years playoffs. Boucher let in 3 goals in the first 11 Buffalo shots, two of which were not Pee Wee caliber goals. (Watch them here: http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2010030125).

Boucher was pulled for Michael Leighton, making him the 3^rd Flyers goalie to play in this series! Sergei Bobrovsky started the series after a very good rookie campaign, and looked awful in game 2. He got pulled and hasn’t even been dressed since.

Does Holmgren, or any other person that has held the Flyers GM position over the years (Bobby Clarke, Russ Farwell) not understand hockey that much? THIS HAPPENS EVERY YEAR! Last year, the Flyers got to the Stanley Cup Final with a roster that showed heart and determination mixed in with a large amount of skill, but was letdown by goaltending in overtime of game 6…. a goal so bad, not even the announcers knew it was in. (Watch here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdVn42-vOt8).

It is just laughable that the same team can have the same problems every year, and be so stubborn to address these obvious issues. It reminds me of the Detroit Lions and the quarterback position.  Maybe some day, Holmgren will understand. In a day and age when you don’t have to pay $6 million per year to get a good goalie, that you could get one and still build a good team (see Anti Niemi). Instead they overload on contracts to forwards in hopes they will outscore and outmuscle the other team. They only have to win the next two games to advance to the second round, but even if they do come back against the Sabres does anyone believe they can win with this circus act?

Since the late Pelle Lindbergh took the Flyers to the Cup in 1985, and Ron Hextall won the Conn Smythe in 1987 (both losses to the Edmonton Oilers), here is the pathetic display of goaltenders the Flyers have paraded out in an attempt to win the Stanley Cup.

2010 – defeated New Jerey 4-1 Eastern Conf. quarterfinals, defeated Boston 4-3 Eastern Conf. semifinals, defeated Montreal 4-1 Eastern Conf. finals, lost to Chicago 4-2 Stanley Cup Finals (starting goalies – Brian Boucher, Michael Leighton)

2009 -- lost to Pittsburgh, 4-2, Eastern Conf. quarterfinals 

(starting goalie – Martin Biron)

2008 -- defeated Washington, 4-3, Eastern Conf. quarterfinals         defeated Montreal, 4-1, Eastern Conf. semifinals         lost to Pittsburgh, 4-1, Eastern Conf. finals  (starting goalie – Martin Biron)

2006 -- lost to Buffalo, 4-2, Eastern Conf. quarterfinals  (starting goalie – Robert Esche)

2004 -- defeated New Jersey, 4-1, Eastern Conf. quarterfinals         defeated Toronto, 4-2, Eastern Conf. semifinals         lost to Tampa Bay, 4-3, Eastern Conf. finals  (starting goalie – Robert Esche)

2003 -- defeated Toronto, 4-3, Eastern Conf. quarterfinals         lost to Ottawa, 4-2, Eastern Conf. semifinals  (starting goalie – Roman Cechmanek)

2002 -- lost to Ottawa, 4-1, Eastern Conf. quarterfinals  (starting goalies – Roman Cechmanek, Brian Boucher)

2001 -- lost to Buffalo, 4-2, Eastern Conf. quarterfinals  (starting goalie – Roman Cechmanek)

2000 -- defeated Buffalo, 4-1, Eastern Conf. quarterfinals         defeated Pittsburgh, 4-2, Eastern Conf. semifinals         lost to New Jersey, 4-3, Eastern Conf. finals  (starting goalie – Brian Boucher)

1999 -- lost to Toronto, 4-2, Eastern Conf. quarterfinals  (starting goalie – John Vanbiesbrouck)

1998 -- lost to Buffalo, 4-1, Eastern Conf. quarterfinals  (starting goalie – Sean Burke)

1997 -- defeated Pittsburgh, 4-1, Eastern Conf. quarterfinals         defeated Buffalo, 4-1, Eastern Conf. semifinals         defeated N.Y. Rangers, 4-1, Eastern Conf. finals         lost to Detroit, 4-0, Stanley Cup Finals  (starting goalies – Garth Snow, Ron Hextall)

1996 -- defeated Tampa Bay, 4-2, Eastern Conf. quarterfinals         lost to Florida, 4-2, Eastern Conf. semifinals  (starting goalie – Ron Hextall)

1995 -- defeated Buffalo, 4-1, Eastern Conf. quarterfinals         defeated N.Y. Rangers, 4-0, Eastern Conf. semifinals         lost to New Jersey, 4-2, Eastern Conf. finals  (starting goalie – Ron Hextall)

1989 -- defeated Washington, 4-2, Patrick Division semifinals         defeated

Pittsburgh, 4-3, Patrick Division finals         lost to Montreal, 4-2, Wales Conference finals  (starting goalie – Ron Hextall)

1988 -- lost to Washington, 4-3, Patrick Division semifinals  (starting goalie – Ron Hextall)

How many of these goalies went on to success with other NHL clubs after leaving the Flyers?

Here is the schedule for today’s games.

Tampa Bay @ Pittsburgh  12:00pm

NY Rangers @ Washington  3:00pm

Montreal @ Boston  7:00pm

Los Angeles @ San Jose  10:30pm

No in game tweets from me today. Follow us  at twitter.com @getrealhockey.

Follow my articles and tweets on twitter @Chyz1.

-Mark Chyz