Neuvirth serious about latest season restart
PHILADELPHIA » It had been so long since Michal Neuvirth’s last start in the Flyers’ goal crease that the last time he did so he was actually healthy.
But seriously folks, Neuvirth, perhaps the NHL’s best goalie that always gets hurt, isn’t finding much humor in the lack-of-work topic of post-game conversation these days. To him, it’s certainly no laughing matter, not even in the immediate aftermath Sunday of a 4-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres.
Asked in jest if he was ready to carry the load now, Neuvirth ignored all accompanying snickers and said flatly, “We are going to enjoy winning tonight’s game and three in a row and we are going to focus on the next game after the (schedule) break.” Oh. Yeah, shot.
Neuvirth might be used to being asked about injuries, but he was in net for only his ninth start of the season in this game, having won so, forget that rim just two of his prior eight. And his last starting chance was back on Nov. 28, so you can understand if he doesn’t cackle along with the crowd.
“I haven’t been feeling good about myself lately,” said Neuvirth, who took quite a while to get over a left knee injury. “It’s frustrating when you get injured. I can’t help my teammates. (But) I feel good about myself right now. It’s kind of a shame we won three in a row and (are now) leaving for the break. But it’s the schedule.”
The schedule for Flyers goalies this season hasn’t been easy. Top Lehigh Valley Phantoms goalie and supposed Flyers net successor Anthony Stolarz has been out all season after September surgery on his twice-torn left knee meniscus, with a marathon recovery expected to go through March.
Alex Lyon has been carrying the load and splitting time there with someone named Dustin Tokarski, except for those games Lyon had to come up to sit the bench for the Flyers while Neuvirth recovered from yet another injury spell.
That’s left it up to Brian Elliott to get a lot more action than he expected when he signed as a free agent in July. In fact, the 32-year-old Elliott probably feels like Marty Brodeur in his prime.
Elliott was forced to start 24 of the previous 25 Flyers games until finally being cut a break by Neuvirth Sunday. Ah, but now Neuvy’s back. He is, isn’t he? No, seriously... “I think it’s a great way for him to go into the break and come back into our lineup,” cut-up coach Dave Hakstol said of Neuvirth, who made 30 saves and withstood two early Sabres power plays and an 11-3 early Buffalo shots edge Sunday. “It has been a long time since he’s had the opportunity to start a game. For him to come in and, to think back to that save (on Sam Reinhart) he made in the first period, that was a great way for him to say, ‘I’m ready to step in and help this team.’”
*** Sean Couturier scored twice for the second day in a row. He has 23 goals now, which by game’s end put him fourth overall in the NHL. What the... “I wouldn’t have thought that I’d have that many,” Couturier said with a crooked smile, maybe because he’d never had more than 19 goals in a season before. “I’m doing whatever I can to help the team and obviously playing with G (that would be Claude Giroux), he’s a great passer and I just try to find the open areas.”
Couturier’s offensive game has obviously been boosted by Giroux’s presence. But Giroux, who took much of last season to recover from a previous spring’s abdominal surgery and had his worst statistical season in years, has really been given a lift by moving to the left side next to Couturier, one of the best defensive forwards in the league.
Well, until he became one of the league’s best goal scorers.
“Him being on the wing, I think, he probably has more time to make plays coming into the (attack) zone,” Couturier said. “He’s probably the guy carrying it in and making plays. That’s probably different than driving through the middle (as a center) and trying to create. I think he has more time and space to make plays. Obviously he looks healthy, he looks good and he looks excited.”
Giroux assisted on Couturier’s first goal Sunday, giving him 52 points on the season, which tied for secondmost in the league.
*** NOTES » The contractually mandated “bye week” for the Flyers gives them complete off days Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. They practice late Friday afternoon before dashing up the Turnpike for a Saturday game against the New Jersey Devils . ... Phantoms promotee Tyrell Goulbourne won’t be taking it easy after he played two Flyers games. He was returned to the Phantoms Sunday afternoon and will likely be in their lineup Friday at home against Springfield.