NHL Playoffs 2012: Ilya Bryzgalov Shouldn't Be a Concern for the Flyers

For the Philadelphia Flyers, it has been more than a decade since the team went into the postseason without a legitimate concern about its goaltending situation. Newly acquired netminder Ilya Bryzgalov did little to combat those concerns for the first half of the regular season.

However, Bryzgalov has found his stride and the Flyers have begun the playoff year with more confidence in the crease than they have had in a long time.

Of course, with the team slated to face the likes of Marc-Andre Fleury, Henrik Lundqvist, Tim Thomas and Martin Brodeur in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, Bryzgalov will find himself being tested time and again as he is matched up against the game’s best.

Here are five reasons to have confidence in Bryzgalov this postseason.

He Won't Be Facing the Red Wings Anytime Soon

Bryzgalov’s playoff woes have been a bit of an anomaly, if you go by hockey lore.

The Red Wings have made the playoffs for the 21^st year in a row, making them, by far, the most accomplished and successful hockey team of the last two decades.

Bryzgalov had success in Anaheim as a backup during the postseason, but during his time with the Phoenix Coyotes, he played terribly. Then again, during his time with the Coyotes, he played the Red Wings.

There is no tougher postseason task than constantly facing the Red Wings.

Had Bryzgalov faced a different opponent in his Phoenix days, his stats would likely look completely different.

His End-of-Season Success Will Carry over

Bryzgalov and his big contract became a point of contention for Flyers' fans during most of the regular season when the Russian netminder struggled to keep his team in games. He even temporarily lost the starting role to backup Sergei Bobrovsky.

However, by late February, Bryzgalov had finally settled into his role in Philadelphia. He learned to handle the media and the fans, becoming more mentally steadfast and seeing success on the ice.

He hit his stride during March, when he set a franchise record for consecutive minutes without allowing a goal. He kept the Flyers winning games at a time when their offense began to suffer, bailing them out in the same fashion that they had bailed out his poor goaltending early in the year.

Now that Bryzgalov is firing on all cylinders, he will be comfortable in his crease during the postseason.

He Gets to Start Every Game

Bryzgalov has had a reputation around the league as a goalie that can play almost every game on the schedule over the course of the season. Initially, the Flyers merely saw this as a convenience, choosing to have him split time with backup Sergei Bobrovsky.

The team has learned that giving Bryz the nod night after night is necessary for the goalie’s success. Bryzgalov needed to get into a rhythm, and sharing significant time with Bobrovsky prevented any rhythm from developing.

The Flyers began to turn to Bryzgalov every game in February and March, and in the postseason, there is no doubting who will be in the crease every night. There is no scenario under which Bryz can develop a better groove than playing games every other night against the same opponent for two weeks at a time.

He Doesn't Allow Deflating Goals

Last night, with less than a minute remaining in the first period and his team in a 2-0 hole to the Pittsbrugh Penguins, Bryzgalov lost a puck in his equipment and accidentally knocked it into his own net.

The goal was frustrating and could have had terrible implications for the team, but in Bryzgalov’s defense, it was a rarity.

The Flyers have struggled for years to find confidence in their netminders. Brian Boucher was well-known for being unable to control bounces around his pads. Sergei Bobrovsky’s overcommitment to the butterfly has resulted in goals being scored on wrist shots from the blue line. Michael Leighton’s inability to save Patrick Kane’s seeing-eye shot still haunts the city.

Ilya Bryzgalov so rarely allows those sorts of goals. He finds himself in position and he forces opponents to hit corners, and when the defense does its job, it is very hard to score on Bryzgalov.

He may get beaten on broken plays and odd-man rushes like the goals by Crosby and Kennedy last night, but don’t expect to see a morale-killer like the third goal too often from this netminder.

He Rounds out a Very Good Team

As the young Flyers team has developed over the season, it has become a well-rounded group.

The team began the season as a one-dimensional offensive powerhouse, winning games while giving up three or four goals at a time. Before the trade deadline, general manager Paul Holmgren acquired Nicklas Grossman and Pavel Kubina to add size to the team’s defensive corps, something lacking ever since captain Chris Pronger was lost for the season due to injury.

Around that same time, Bryzgalov started getting more and more starts in net, and both of these factors contributed to his streak of success in March.

Now that the team can score, defend, kill penalties and intimidate opponents, the pressure of stealing games has been lifted from Bryzgalov. Instead, he merely has to keep them in games, and the rest of his teammates can finish the job.

Last night’s matchup with the Penguins was a perfect example. After a bad start, Bryzgalov made himself reliable in net, allowing his team to spend two periods clawing back into the game.

He will allow goals, but he will always give his chance to win. And that’s a trait in a goaltender the Flyers have desired for quite some time.