Bryzgalov outclassed by Vokoun in 5-2 loss. Jagr stuck on 646 goals.
1. Better bang for the buck.
The Flyers elected to sink their future — and a small fortune — in goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, signing him to a nine-year, $51 million deal. That enabled the Caps to snap up the other highly-regarded free agent goalie, Tomas Vokoun, to a one-year deal for $1.5 million. The 35-year-old Vokoun was the difference Thursday, as he kicked aside 40 shots to run his record to 5-0, while the Caps remained perfect at 6-0. Bryzgalov, on the other hand, was repeatedly victimized by screens and deflections in his poorest effort as a Flyer.
2. Charity starts at home.
The Flyers were controlling the game, up 1-0, before successive giveaways in their own end gift-wrapped two late, first-period Caps’ goals. First, with no one pressuring him, Scott Hartnell attempted a blind, clearing pass which was easily intercepted and turned into a goal. Then, Niklas Backstrom took the puck off a Flyer behind the boards, who set up Alex Ovechkin for the lead score and the first of Ovechkin’s two goals. After a strong second period, the game quickly turned into a rout in the third on Washington’s three-goal blitz in a 2:25 span.
3. Stuck on 646.
Future Hall of Famer Jaromir Jagr appears to be pressing in his attempt to break the ice and score his first Flyers’ goal and 647th of his career. While the Caps did a good job bottling up Jagr, the big man clearly wasn’t as much of a presence as in previous games. Jagr insists he’s not too concerned about his goal-less drought, which stretches back to 2008 when he scored 25 for the Rangers. But the sooner he can turn on the red light, the better both he and the Flyers figure to be.
