Groundhog Day: Flyers Survive Another Early Hole, Bryz Awesome, G Scores, Danny Doesn't

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Strike up the music, the band has begun… the Philadelphia Polka. The Flyers conceded an early goal, yet tied it up and eventually won. 
They've now allowed the first goal in 15 of their last 20 games and led during the first 10 minutes only twice in the last 47 games while trailing 20 times (per the broadcast team). 
In this case, the early goal was just 26 seconds in, and the game-winner came in the shootout. Ilya Bryzgalov handled just about everything in between while Peter Laviolette attempted some line-juggling to jumpstart a dormant offense, and the Flyers left the ice with a 2-1 shootout win over the Washington Capitals. 
Claude Giroux was at times double-shifted in regulation and overtime, and his 27th goal of the season was another dazzler. It's bound to en-ter-tain ya… 
A look at G's jaw-dropper and more, below. 
Of course it's frustrating to see the Flyers allow a goal early again, and their lack of offense is puzzling. But, they don't appear to be overwhelmed by what isn't working for them. Bryz is keeping them in games, and even the shootout isn't posing the automatic-loss issues it once did. Even when the goals aren't coming, there's no quit in them. Wasn't long ago the team wearing this crest often had the opposite problem. 
Alex Ovechkin netted the Caps goal before the beer lines had thinned out. Bryz blockered a puck to the corner, and his defense lost the battle for it there, and when it came back to his crease. When the puck came back to the crease, Bryz tried to poke it away under pressure, but it went right to Ovechkin, who buried it. 
The Caps had the better end of some see-saw action throughout portions of the first, but the Flyers were also strong, particularly later in the frame. It wasn't the most exciting game overall, and right around the time I started wondering if there'd be any excitement in this one, the Flyers found their equalizer. 
Jaromir Jagr sent a sweet outlet pass to Giroux, who turned Dennis Wideman inside out, then got Caps goalie Braden Holtby to bite early. 
Only time all night that Holtby looked lost. He was stellar throughout, beaten only once before the shootout. But man, just look at this:
So G'd. 
Bryzgalov would ultimately outduel Holtby, stopping Marcus Johansson on a penalty shot and getting beat only once in the shootout. (And boy did Matt Hendricks beat him then.)
Conventional dekes were no match for Holtby in the shootout, with both Giroux and Danny Briere stoned on their moves. But Matt Read opened the affair with a quick shot as he glided up the slot, and Wayne Simmonds did the same to beat Holtby with the game-winner. 
Bryz then stopped Troy Brouwer and raised his hands to the rafters. Great to see that rather than another reverse snow-angel like after the Hendricks goal. 
All of a sudden, early holes and shootouts aren't so scary. But, we'd be just as happy not seeing another of either the rest of the way. Wayne Train? Wayne Train.
POSTGAME FUNBryzgalov once again had no interest in talking to the assembled media. He alternated cliché-quotes with refusals and shushings, and if that's in any way helping his comfort level, there isn't a hockey fan in the Tri-State Area who would have it any other way. If he doesn't want to talk after wins or answer questions about his game, we'll survive. Also, reporters keep asking about his confidence, a buzz word that silences him night after night (yet, the question keeps coming despite the response it elicits and the fact that he's clearly been confident over the past month). 
Meanwhile, Jagr again joked that the Flyers should start Sergei Bobrovsky and then bring in Bryz after the first shot. Joked being the key word, of course. Note: Jagr is not opposed to laughing at his own material. 

NOTESGiroux's goal gave him 85 points on the season—good for both second in the NHL and also the highest total for a Flyer since Mark Recchi put up 91 in 1999-2000. 
Bryz's stop on the penalty shot didn't appear to involve contact with the puck. Marcus Johansson lost control of it as he went for the shot, and Bryz's poke attempt upended him. Photographer Eric Hartline knows what I'm talkin about:+ Physics =

Sean Couturier's line(s) effectively silenced Washington's top line after that opening shift. 
The trio of Schenn, Briere, and Simmonds didn't find the scoresheet, but they worked as hard a line can throughout. 48 and 17 will get theirs soon. Right?
Kinda mind-blowing that Ned Ryerson from Groundhog Day is the well-endowed movie producer on the current season of Californication. Which is awful, btw. 
For about 7 of the last 10 minutes of regulation, the Caps were held without a shot on goal. In overtime, the puck was rarely out of their zone. Amazing this game ended 1-1. 
Why did it? The Flyers failed to get quality shots in many cases, either opting for the extra pass, firing wide, or being effectively kept outside of dangerous angles. They seemed stagnant as the Caps gave them the edges but put sticks on them as they turned toward the goal. The vertical attack is lacking right now. 
Peter Forsberg was in the house! (See below)
HIGHLIGHTS

All photos by the great Eric Hartline, US Presswire.

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