Expectations still getting the best of Bryzgalov

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No Chris Pronger, Jaromir Jagr or Braydon Coburn. Also, no jump and, as usual, brains either as Wayne Simmonds and Andrej Meszaros took unnecessary penalties, leading to two Carolina power-play goals.

But the Flyers didnt get goaltending either Monday night, not when it really was needed. Twice James van Riemsdyk looked like he still was going to win this game or die trying, driving to the net for one goal, circling the net and passing out to Matt Read for another. So twice the Flyers were back within one against a team they have owned, giving Ilya Bryzgalov the chance to make the save he was brought here to make.

Twice Bryzgalov failed, the first time surrendering the short side to Chad Larose off a drop pass by Tomas Kaberle, the second time getting a stick out to prevent what would have been a slam dunk behind him, losing his balance and making snow angels when Alexei Ponikarovsky popped the rebound up and in.

Never mind one first-period goal scored on a pass to the back post, another on a rebound by Jeff Skinner after he was stoned at the post after a spin-a-rama on Kimmo Timonen, Bryzgalov had looked completely comfortable for 20 minutes until suddenly he was not.

We dont believe he will remain overwhelmed by the contract and the expectations, but he certainly is struggling with them now. Sometimes that can take into Year Two after the big change to the big city as the big final piece of the puzzle. But Chris Pronger is 37 and the Flyers probably dont have a year to waste.

Opportunity knocked for Bryzgalov to win a game for a team without its best defenseman and a top line forward. And he is not yet feeling good enough about himself to be better than a guy who ultimately played down to the level of his teammates. It is obvious bad stuff is going though the goalies brain and he is struggling for a way to clear it.

Jay Greenberg covered the Flyers for 14 years for the Daily News and Evening Bulletin. His history of the Flyers, Full Spectrum, was published in 1996. He can be reached at jayg616@aol.com.

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