Brian Boucher to start vs. Washington

by Travis Hughes on Nov 20, 2010 1:30 PM EST in Philadelphia Flyers News

Last season, Peter Laviolette started his backup goaltender one time. All season long. And it took him 46 games as coach to do so. Things are a little different this year.

After giving Sergei Bobrovsky the honor of 12 straight starts, and after making it seem like he would be repeating that same trend from a year ago, Brian Boucher will start tonight. It's his first start since October 25 in Columbus, a game that was not good to the Flyers. After that one, Laviolette said his team was playing "mindless hockey."

The move isn't surprising given the wild, insane game that we witnessed on Thursday night against Tampa, but it is surprising given the fact that the Flyers are in Washington tonight to take on one of the most potent offenses in the NHL. Back when the Flyers lost in OT to the Capitals on November 7, the only reason they got a point out of the deal was because of the stellar play of Bob.

Is this the right move?

Poll

Is starting Brian Boucher tonight the right move?

Yes, Bob needs rest

255 votes

No, we need Bob vs. Washington

95 votes

Not sure

33 votes

383 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Good for Boosh, he deserves it. I’m also gonna go out on a limb and say he’s gonna get at least 3 from the Flyers.

by SkookFlyerfan on Nov 20, 2010 1:32 PM EST reply actions

Thoughts

I’m hoping Pete realizes that in the end, these games against the Capitals are no different than games against the Devils, Thrashers, Lightning, Sabres etc

Bob said it best, 2 points at a time. That’s 2 points against any team. With that perspective, no it doesn’t surprise me that Bob is getting rest right now

inter arma enim silent leges

by CoburnsCuddleBuddy on Nov 20, 2010 1:34 PM EST reply actions

They may all be worth 2 pts, but its usually harder to get those points against the league’s best. I agree that bob needs a rest, but it would have been better served on Thursday. Hindsight is 20/20 but lavy should have known Bob would need arest eventually.

What can't Giroux do?

by tmurder on Nov 20, 2010 1:40 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Personally, I think Bob needed more than 1 game off. Perhaps, since thursday, off, play, off, off, then back to normal

inter arma enim silent leges

by CoburnsCuddleBuddy on Nov 20, 2010 2:43 PM EST up reply actions

The regular season is a marathon. The team needs to pace itself to make to the end strong.

I’m also happy that this is the worst thing going on right now with the team.

"In fact, it is probably safe to say, the statement "I am a hockey fan" is the same as "I hate gary bettman."- bfrank27

by Mike B on D on Nov 20, 2010 1:37 PM EST reply actions

It’s not the worse thing. The worse thing is that 3 out of 4 lines have not chemistry, and the power play has fallen off the face of the earth again.

by Gizmoitus on Nov 20, 2010 4:28 PM EST up reply actions

Laviolette has to start boucher, even though the Flyers would be better served to have Bob in net. If Lavy had just started Boosh last game then Bob could have started today. Bob needed/needs a rest physically and mentally. Going 12 games in a row had to be exhausting for him.

What can't Giroux do?

by tmurder on Nov 20, 2010 1:37 PM EST via mobile reply actions

No chemistry? Where do you see that? Looked like chemistry run amok against Tampa the other day.

"In fact, it is probably safe to say, the statement "I am a hockey fan" is the same as "I hate gary bettman."- bfrank27

by Mike B on D on Nov 20, 2010 8:38 PM EST up reply actions

Yes starting Boucher is the right move...

But it should have happened last game, or the game before that.

BOILER UP!! 2010-2011

"You can commit no mistake and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life." - Jean-Luc Picard

by EREX21 on Nov 20, 2010 2:02 PM EST reply actions

Finally. As amazingly as Bobs has been playing, there’s still a few things that Lavy needs to be careful with.

A young goalie like Bobs, especially an NHL rookie, is not going to have the right conditioning for playing long stretches of games against high caliber players. It will take time for that to build up. And the other thing is simple statistics. Just because a goalie is “hot” does not mean he will keep winning games. It’s way too big an assumption.

That said, I hope Bobs rests up well. If Lavy plays it smart with how often Bobs starts, there is a real chance that the Flyers may have found themselves a future star goalie that they can nurture from the beginning of his career.

Ian Laperriere (EE-an luh-PAIR-ee-YAIR), proper noun
Definition: Bad-assery on skates

by Chemistry66 on Nov 20, 2010 2:04 PM EST via mobile reply actions

Let the games begin. I’m watching my little brother’s Quakers game tonight then coming home to watch the Flyers game.
This will either turn out to be a really good decision, or a really bad one. It is great for Bob to get a rest, but at what cost? I love Boosh, but the team tends to leave him out to dry in the offensive department. I’m hoping that because its the Caps they will bring their game and play.

DCCGDP 13,28,36

by Cillo stache on Nov 20, 2010 2:11 PM EST reply actions

At Iceline?

What can't Giroux do?

by tmurder on Nov 20, 2010 2:22 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Yup yup. Why?

DCCGDP 13,28,36

by Cillo stache on Nov 20, 2010 2:33 PM EST up reply actions

I’m from west chester. And I know a few ppl who used to be quakers. So I was just wondering.

What can't Giroux do?

by tmurder on Nov 20, 2010 2:50 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

At Iceline?

What can't Giroux do?

by tmurder on Nov 20, 2010 2:23 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Where is the "we need Bob tonight, but we should have rested him sooner" option

Thats what Id pick

bread. butter. cheese. VICTORY!

by Prometheus74 on Nov 20, 2010 2:13 PM EST reply actions

That was my thinking on the subject. And I wouldn’t be surprised, win or lose, to see Boosh get the start tonight and then 15-20 straight for Bob. Don’t think that would bode well for April and further…

by CTFlyer on Nov 20, 2010 2:58 PM EST up reply actions