Hartnell Leads Revamped Power Play in Win, But Briere, Jagr, Rinaldo Hurt … Bryz Wants to Be Left Alone

The Flyers' dual-matinee weekend appeared to get off to a promising start, with a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. But, injuries disclosed both during and after the game could prove to be more important than their resurgent effort after a poor outing against the Islanders, and Ilya Bryzgalov's postgame comments may get as much attention as his stellar in-game play.

Scott Hartnell was among the Flyers who led the way in the win, netting a pair of power play goals, and Bryzgalov had a very strong afternoon in net. Jaromir Jagr left the game with an undisclosed lower body injury, which is concerning, but it may have pushed the Flyers to make a change that helped spark their power play too. After the game, Paul Holmgren stated that Danny Briere has a concussion and will be out indefinitely.

A look at a key timeout, modifications to the power play, some key contributors, and video highlights (both in-game and at Bryz's locker) below.

The Devils seemed to have an early advantage in the game, which was scoreless through the first period due to some good goaltending at both ends. Aided by a pair of power plays, the Devils put nine shots on Ilya Bryzgalov to the Flyers' four.

Jagr left midway through the first period, a situation certainly worth some concern. But, that and another timeout motivational speech by the head coach may have put the wheels in motion for the Flyers to slice through the league's best penalty killing unit and dominate the game's final 35 minutes.

TIMEOUT MASTER
Three minutes into the second period, Lavvy wasn't happy with the effort he was seeing on the ice. As is his wont, he called a timeout. After the game, Hartnell relayed to Coatsey that the message was simple: "Who's gonna play?"

Ice time would be dictated by effort, always a key in Lavvy's coaching style, but something that he needed to emphasize today.

Shift after shift, the Flyers turned up the pressure, leading to quality scoring chances and a few power plays. Then, at 9:30 of the second period, Matt Read added to his NHL rookie-leading goal total, scoring his 15th. Wayne Simmonds, who was among the hardest working players on the ice all game, made the most of a Devils turnover, outworking a pair of them in the corner and emerging with a pass on the tape of Read, who buried one past Martin Brodeur.

CROSSTOWN TRAFFIC
A few minutes later, a Flyers power play that has been struggling to be dangerous on a consistent basis, took to the ice with a new look. With Jagr out, Simmonds drew power play time along with Hartnell and Claude Giroux, with Simmonds taking the low slot and Hartnell finding his way to Jagr's usual post in the mid-to-high slot. With those two in place and the associated Devils traffic, Kimmo Timonen took a shot from the point that found its way into the net. It was hard to initially credit, because both Hartnell and Simmonds had their sticks ready to deflect it. Simmonds quickly pointed back to Hartnell though, who had gotten just enough of it to beat Brodeur.

Fresh off the plane from Carolina, the newest Devil Alexei Ponikarovsky cut the Flyers' lead to one, deflecting a shot of his own to beat Bryz just 28 seconds later.

The Flyers weathered the Devils' comeback effort, and their success on the power play continued in the third period. Scott Hartnell drew a pair of minors as the horn blew to start the second intermission, but he'd tally on the power play again once allowed on the ice again.

Harts was again in the high slot area with Simmonds down low when Giroux executed a great head fake, staring down Kimmo at the point before sending a quick pass to Hartnell, who rifled it home for his 22nd on the season.

Sometimes an empty netter is a meaningless stat padder, but that wasn't the case with the one Simmonds managed today. First, it was a pretty nice backhand shot. But aside from that, he earned the tally with some hard-ass work in the corners and around the crease; he was on the ice for every Flyers goal, assisting on two of them.

With timetables on Briere and Jagr unknown, it is at least encouraging to be reminded of the Flyers' depth today. Also good to see Giroux with a two-point day.

Notes:
Eleven of Hartnell's 22 goals this season have come on the power play. It's the third time this season he has scored twice in a game.

According to Flyers PR, this was Simmonds' first career three-point game.

Dave Isaac says Tom Sestito and Ben Holmstrom will be called up to play tomorrow against Boston.

BRYZ...
Unfortunately, there will be understandable attention on Ilya Bryzgalov's response to the questions he was asked after the win. Here's the video of that.

In summary, "Who cares. Stop worrying about me. Worry about different things. Too much in the media, everywhere around, like 'How you feel? What's going on? What we should have to do with him?'—Leave me alone, guys. Just let me be me and let me play hockey."

I don't think the reporters were necessarily out for blood so much as a quote updating the oft-scrutinized status the team's key off-season acquisition. It is indeed very fair territory. But, it's also well-traveled territory, and it's easy to see Bryz's side of it. In fact, count me in favor of the media heeding the wishes of both the team earlier in the season and the goalie right now, and having a few fewer rounds at the open bar that is often served at Bryz's locker stall.

Yes, it's part of the job, and I don't intend this as an indictment of the media, though we know the group has had some scrapes with Flyers players before. Today was reminiscent of Mike Richards' "Same Questions…" eye-rolling reaction.

We all enjoy the Bryzgalisms, and he knew (or at least was warned) that this would come with the territory when he signed here and left media (and fan) devoid Phoenix. Hell I'm taking the bait right now, posting and commenting on his statement. But I think most fans would rather have shutouts and one-goal performances than responses to questions about current or past struggles. At least I would. Feel free to disagree of course.

Who's to say whether the scrutiny has anything to do with the struggles. The media certainly can't be blamed for them. But, there's at least evidence that it bothers him. Whether today's response will have Bryzgalov's desired effect or the complete opposite remains to be seen. At least one person in the room seemed to get a pretty good laugh out of it (though for all we know, it was directed at something else).

Here's another Bryz video to clean the palate.