Only one man knows for sure. And hes not telling anyone.

Peter Laviolette says, Tough decisions are sometimes good. Like going back to Leighton for Game 2. (Getty Images) But while Flyers coach Peter Laviolette suggested it was nobody’s business about who will start Game 2 for him in goal, he allowed staff members to get the word out late in the day that Michael Leighton will again get the nod. Laviolette had a chance to come clean earlier Sunday when he met the media after the team’s off-day skate, but hey, when it involves the Flyers, why let a potentially good goalie controversy go to waste. Particularly at playoff time.

“Tough decisions are sometimes good to have to make,” Laviolette said after the Flyers had a 30-minute off-day skate and a much longer video session. “I can tell you whoever is on that ice in the lineup tomorrow, and I say this wholeheartedly, theres 100 percent confidence that the people that were choosing to go out and represent our organization were very confident in their ability to do the job.

“Whoever gets the start tomorrow night is really going to shine. Well be keeping everything internal with regards to lineups, but thank you for asking.”

No thanks were necessary because the question of who goes between the pipes in the crucial second game against the Chicago Blackhawks has been the topic du jour since Michael Leighton was pulled in the second period after allowing five goals on 15 shots. Leighton, the mid-season waiver wire pickup who got the Flyers back into the playoff race and was nearly impenetrable since returning from an injury in round two, said he didnt feel any playoff jitters, but had a rough night in the opener anyway. He seemed to be fighting the puck early, allowing big rebounds and his positioning wasnt particularly sharp, although he didnt get much help from the skaters in front of him.

With that in mind, Laviolette didnt single Leighton out for blame immediately after the 6-5 loss to the Blackhawks nor during the off-day media session, although the coach made it clear that he wasnt impressed with his goaltenders work. Still Leightons teammates felt he should be entirely absolved.

“If theres players that should take the blame for last night, its certainly not our goaltending,” Danny Briere said. “The chances we gave, the shots we gave in dangerous areas, we havent done that too many times in the playoffs.

“Not too many goalies are going to be successful with the shooters they have when you give point-blank chances to score the way we did last night.”

Brieres argument has some merit because the Flyers defense created plenty of available space for Chicago. On two of the Blackhawks goals Philadelphia collapsed so deep in front of their net, Chicago shooters had enough time to make dinner reservations before getting off their shots. On a third, the Flyers got caught up ice and allowed a two-on-one break and on another they let Marian Hossa roam free behind their net before finding an open man in front. And then there was the shorthanded goal by Dave Bolland after Braydon Coburn coughed up the puck at the Chicago blue line.

The thing is, Brian Boucher, the star of the opening-round win over New Jersey, was actually sharper in relief in his first appearance back since being injured in the second round. Even so, the smart money says Philadelphia will go back to Leighton, if for no other reason than the fact he has gone 3-1-1 in games after being pulled.

But Leighton isnt quite sure hell get to go again, although he feels he merits another chance.

“Well, I didnt let any really bad goals in, thats the way I look at it,” he said.”I didnt make some big saves, thats pretty much what it came down to.

“A couple of them were good shots. Theres one or two that I was mad at myself for what I did. But thats the way it goes. Thats the game of hockey.”

So why then all the fuss?

For that answer, we turn to the wise sage Chris Pronger, who despite being a member of Philadelphias embattled blue line group in Game 1, actually turned in a starring performance. Pronger spent more than 32 minutes on the ice, made Dustin Byfuglien seem invisible and kept Chicagos top scorers Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane off the scoresheet. And he finished with two assists to go along with a plus-two rating.

Pronger was asked about the goaltending controversy hinted at by his coach a few moments earlier and insisted he knew nothing of it, except that there might have been a motive.

“Maybe hes keeping you on your toes,” he told the assembled media mass.

And everyone else, too.

Posted on May 31st, 2010 by admin
Filed under: NHL hockey news