Flyers GM Holmgren: Bryz has to be better

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PITTSBURGH -- You didnt have to see Ilya Bryzgalov play in Phoenix to understand that he was a better goaltender there than what he has so far shown the Flyers.

Bryzgalov didnt have a choice. He had to be better just to carry a pedestrian Coyotes club through the season and into the playoffs.

Look at his numbers there: 2.29 goals against average with a .921 save percentage.

Look at his numbers here and the Flyers 51 million goalie has fallen below the proverbial Mendoza Line: 3.01 GAA and .890 save percentage.

Thats not going to cut it.

He has to get better, for sure, said general manager Paul Holmgren, while the Flyers practiced in Mt. Lebanon, Pa. on Wednesday, in preparation for Thursdays game against the Penguins.

Sergei Bobrovsky will start against the Penguins while Bryzgalov spends time over the next several days working on technical issues with goalie coach Jeff Reese.

Holmgren says hes not worried about Bryzgalov, but wants him to get more quality practice time in with Reese.

In the stretch that we have had, we havent had good practice time, Holmgren said. A lot of time he spends with Jeff working on things and hasnt had that time because he is the one playing.

Like Sergei gets a chance to work on things more with Jeff because hes not playing. Today, and I think Sergei is playing tomorrow, this gives Jeff an opportunity to work with Bryzgalov on some things.

Technical things. Its just like any player. You start to get bad habits. More than anything, I think Jeff needs to just work with him on some things and see what is wrong right now.

Has Holmgren said anything to Bryzgalov?

Thats Jeffs area of expertise, Holmgren said.

Brygalov gave up five goals on just 16 shots during Tuesdays 5-1 clunker of a loss at Tampa Bay.

During the 26 games Bryzgalov has played this season, hes allowed four or more goals 10 times. Last season in Phoenix, that happened just 13 times over 68 games.

Hes been all over the map and the crease this season with his play. He started the year winning three in a row. Lost five of his next six. Then won four of five. Sat a couple games when Bobrovsky got hot.

A lot of those losses saw odd, deflected goals that could not be stopped. Yet, even during the winning, there seems to be a bad goal every game. All it takes it one bad goal to lose a playoff game.

Hoping the bounces start turning my way and not against us, because every game we have two goals and bad bounces, Bryzgalov said. Some day it has to stop probably. And I have a better game.

CSN hockey analyst Bill Clement said it best. When your team is losing in game, like the Flyers were, 3-1, to Tampa Bay at one point, you need your goalie to make a crucial save -- a save that can turn it around and give your team confidence. Bryzgalov hasnt done that very much this season.

His coach, Peter Laviolette, wont call him out. Laviolette never calls out his players in public.

I dont know if hes questioning himself, Laviolette said when asked if Bryzgalov is doing just that.

There was a game last night and its 5-1 and we can all be a little bit better. Some nights it doesnt go your way and we look to fix that and get on track against Pittsburgh.

Bryzgalov admitted how poor hes been after the Tampa loss. On Wednesday, he worked with Reese on rebounds.

Hes a coach, he sees better, Bryzgalov said of Reese. Today we working on rebounds, get better maybe. Control and positioning in net.

Bryzgalov says he has 40 more games before he has to think about the playoffs.

Just continue to work hard and find where is the problem, he said.

Could it be that because the Flyers are so much better than the Coyotes, Bryzgalovs focus isnt as sharp as it should be?

After all, he doesnt have to steal games with a team that is the third-highest scoring club in the NHL?

Holmgren had to think about that one.

Theres something here with a new team, a new group of teammates, a different style here, Holmgren said.

He certainly doesnt get as many shots. Last night, I dont know what the scoring chances were, but I dont think they had that many scoring chances. In the end they got five goals.

He obviously has to play better. Ilya knows the same thing. I do think he needs to spend a few days with Jeff working on some things which they are going to do.

At some point, the Bryzgalov who was a superstar for the Coyotes, needs to show up for the Flyers.

E-mail Tim Panaccio at tpanotch@comcast.net

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