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Toronto Maple Leafs

March 10, 2012 by · Comments Off on Toronto Maple Leafs 

Toronto Maple Leafs, Ilya Bryzgalov and the surging Philadelphia Flyers will try to extend their winning streak to five games when they visit the struggling Toronto Maple Leafs for tonight’s clash at Air Canada Centre.

With four straight wins, the Flyers have posted their longest win streak of the season outside of a seven-game tear from Dec. 2-15.

Philadelphia’s recent surge has had a great deal to do with the play of Bryzgalov between the pipes, as the Russian netminder finally seems to be delivering on the promise of the nine-year, $51 million deal he signed with the Flyers in the offseason.

After struggling over his first few months in Philadelphia, Bryzgalov appears to be settling into the No. 1 goaltender role. Since being pulled in the second period of a game against Pittsburgh on Feb. 18, the former Phoenix netminder has started eight straight and is 6-2-0 with a 2.00 goals-against average and .929 save percentage in those outings.

Bryzgalov stopped all 28 shots sent his way in Philadelphia’s 5-0 win over Florida on Thursday, giving him two shutouts in his last three trips to the crease and four this season.

“He seems pretty locked in right now,” said Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette. “He’s preparing, he’s going out there, he’s executing, and then he gets ready for the next one.”

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