Goaltending is an issue in the playoffs, always and forever. In Game 1's 5-4 loss to the Capitals, the Flyers' Marty Biron was OK, but only OK. He had no chance on Alex Ovechkin's game-winner. But he never really made a spectacular save all night.
Of course, at the other end of the ice, the Caps' Cristobal Huet was only OK, too. So there is that. But the issue for the Flyers is that, well, if you're going to get four goals on the road, you'd like to think that would be enough.
So, how did Biron play? "I thought he looked solid," Flyers coach John Stevens said on Saturday, after practice. "But I think he can take it to another level."
The issue? "(Washington's) game plan was clearly to shoot the puck high," Stevens said, adding that goaltending coach Reggie Lemelin would be huddling with Biron to talk about whatever adjustments might be possible.
So, along with the ongoing Ovechkin Watch, add a Marty Watch to your list. And see if the plan is still to shoot high.
----------- ---------- ----------
As it turns out, Patrick Thoresen -- who, it was feared, would lose a testicle after blocking a shot Friday night, and who then got better news from the doctors after a night in the hospital -- will not play in Game 2. The lines figures to shift like this: Sami Kapanen dresses and plays on the fourth line, and R.J. Umberger moves up to play with Mike Richards. Also, with the return of defenseman Randy Jones from his bout with the flu, Ryan Parent takes a seat in the press box today.
Rich Hofmann has been at the Daily News since 1980. He previously blogged the Eagles' postseason run in 2006. 
Ed Barkowitz was the first Philadelphia Newspaper journalist to write a blog, starting back in 2002.
Comments (1)
After watching the first period Game 2.. it is a tribute to the Flyers that they are up 2-0. On the other hand it is obvious that the League has mandated that the referees do everything in their power to help the Caps. The NHL and the referees are a disgrace. The Flyers were penalized at least 4 times.. 3 out of those calls were bogus. Hartnell was tripped into Huet. It is obvious that the refs are also trying to NOT give the Flyers any powerplays. Lupul was hooked and nothing was called.. so what do they do instead?? call a penalty on Lupul. It is so obvious that big money and the League want Ovechkin's team to win. What they fail to realize is that the Flyers draw the best TV ratings of any team in the league, bar none.
Posted by hk1960 | April 13, 2008 2:47 PM