NHL Game Preview for Saturday March 17, 2012 – Philadelphia Flyers @ Boston Bruins

Discussion in 'NHL General' started by UncleRico, Mar 16, 2012.

  1. UncleRico

    UncleRico Suspended

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    Online Betting Overview
    In the Eastern Conference, there are the Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Rangers and then there are all the rest. Prior to the All-Star break, the Philadelphia Flyers and Boston Bruins were also part of that conversation on who is winning the east. But as the March Madness betting begins, the Flyers and the Bruins find themselves further down in the standings. The Flyers are fighting back and trying to work its way back up the ladder. But the Boston Bruins are having all kinds of problems that are threatening the team’s ability to defend its Stanley Cup title.

    One of the most immediate problems the Bruins are having is that back-up goalie Tuukka Rask is gone for the rest of the season with an injury and normally reliable starting goaltender Tim Thomas is struggling. The price per head sports experts thought that the Bruins would dip into its farm system for a third goalie. But instead, the Bruins brought in former Dallas Stars goalie Marty Turco. That little experiment has been nothing but a disaster from the very start. Turco was not playing well when he left the NHL two years ago and he isn’t playing well now.

    Philadelphia Flyers
    The Flyers are not sure why it is happening now, but starting goalie Ilya Bryzgalov has been on fire lately. A bodog review of the Flyers’ last 10 games shows an 8-2-0 record with a two-game winning streak. Bryzgalov is 5-0-0 in his last five starts and three of those have been shutouts. Bryzgalov has allowed a total of four goals against in the last five games. That is the kind of goaltending the Flyers wanted from him when they brought him in. It almost makes putting up with his eccentric personality worth it. Philadelphia is only two points away from the Penguins in the race for second place in the Atlantic Division and trail the Rangers by six points for the division and conference lead.

    Boston Bruins
    The Bruins looked almost unbeatable the first two months of the season. Many experts were giving the Bruins the Cup around November. But as the NBA trade deadline has come and gone, the Bruins are not the Eastern Conference power they once were. The Ottawa Senators are pressing hard to take over the Northeast Division lead, and the Bruins’ record of 3-7-0 in the last 10 games is not helping. The Bruins bring a four-game losing streak into this game and show no signs of being able to stop that trend.

    The Bottom Line
    The Bruins cannot figure out what it has been doing wrong and the Flyers are realizing how important good goaltending really is. This is not the kind of momentum the Bruins wanted to carry in to the playoffs but it also does not look like there is much Boston can do about it. The Flyers, on the other hand, hope it has hit a stride that carries it straight to the finals.

    Pick: Philadelphia Flyers
     

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