With the prospect of a tandem of Vezina finalist Ilya Bryzgalov and second-year goalie, Sergei Bobrovsky, the Flyers have one of the best one-two punches when it comes to between the pipes this upcoming season. Not as seasoned as Thomas/Rask, Luongo/Schneider or even Lundqvist/Biron, but still a nice pair. Ilya will be getting the call (barring injury). More or less about 50-55 games, and Bob getting the rest. As everyone knows now, Bob faltered at the end of last season because he was tired. So having him rested going into the latter part of the season will be a nice weapon to encompass. No more 7 goalies for a season.
That being said, I thought I'd give you my list of the best Flyers goalie tandems in their history, so here we go.
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1996-97: If you don't look at the finals against the "Soon to be Dynasty" Detroit Red Wings, you would remember how good of a team Hexy and Snow were. Both nutcases, but both good goalies. Hexy and his wonky groin and Garth with his shoulder pads comparable to those worn between "The Legion of Doom" made for some interesting games. Damn you Darren McCarty!
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2002-03: Roman was one of the best (regular season) Flyers goalies in their history, but was also the craziest. Known for taking shots off his mask deliberately and berating his team during a playoff game against the Senators, Roman was too hot headed for his own good. Nevertheless, in the 02/03 campaign, he and Robert had an amazing season. Cechmanek/Esche together won the William Jennings Award, an Award given to the goalie(s) with the fewest goals scored against. 33-15-10 with a .925 save % and a GAA of 1.83, and Esche with a .907 % and 2.20 GAA, pretty good stats all around. It's really a shame what Roman could have done if he wasn't loony.
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1984-85: #1 goalie, Pelle Lindbergh, was a stud. Posting a record of 40-17-7 in the 84/85 season, he won the Vezina and the future looked like it was in good hands.
Bob Froese, 13-2, manifested a save-percentage of .913 and GAA of 2.41. Not a bad backup, not bad at all. Unfortunately with Pelle in net for many years to come, there's no room for Bob until......
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| #2 |
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1985-86: If you were alive at that time, and a Flyers fan, you remember where you were when you heard the news that future Hall of Fame goalie, Pelle Lindbergh, was brain dead.
The hockey world and the Flyers had to move on and Froese came into his own in the 85/86 season. 31-10-3, 2.55, .909 were great stats for a goalie who is now thrown into the #1 role. Jansen, 15-9 as a rookie, was the guy who replaced Pelle in net in the Flyers first game back since the tragedy, beating Wayne Gretzky and the Oilers. Won the William Jennings Award that year as well.
Every goalie I have listed has one thing in common; none of them have won a ring with the Flyers. The next dynamic duo did just that, and settled in a spot in each Flyers fan's heart....
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1974-75: Bernie, the best of 'em all.
One of the greatest goalies to lace em up, had an UNREAL season, 44-14-10, Save % of .919 and GAA of 2.03, all the while winning the Conn Smythe award for best player in the playoffs and the Vezina Award for best goalie in hockey (Second year in a row for both Awards).
Wayne was 7-2, 2.72 but he didn't need to be God between the pipes, he just needed to give God a breather.
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With the 2011-12 season beginning in seventy-nine hours, perhaps the hockey deities that loom in every particle of ice and vulcanized rubber will allow the likes of Ilya Bryzgalov and Sergei Bobrovsky to take a seat as two of the Flyers greats.
Time will tell.
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