The Bruins and Flyers played to a scoreless second, but that doesn’t mean it was boring. James van Riemsdyk continues to prove he is the Flyers’ best player this post-season, leading the team in shots while being third in ice time.
He’s had numerous chances, including sending one just wide after creating a mini-breakway, batting a puck out of mid-air through the crease, and setting up Nikolay Zherdev for an open net that Tim Thomas was able to sprawl out to stop. It isn’t even a question who was the Flyers’ best skater.
The biggest news, however, was Brian Boucher leaving the game 11:01 into the second period. He took a Johnny Boychuk shot in the glove, but the puck went all the way through into Boucher’s hand. He left the ice and the cameras caught him showing his hand to the trainers, so take from the image what you may. Johan Backlund has come down from the press box to dress as the emergency backup if needed.
In Boucher’s place, Sergei Bobrovsky has come in and made six saves, almost all of them huge. Simply put, this game is tied at two because of Sergei Bobrovsky. So all that talk about him not being mentally able to play in the playoffs and him not being able to come in off the bench, well it ends now.
The worst news from the period? Through 40 minutes, the Flyers are getting outshot 29-22, and 24-15 at even-strength. But in terms of puck possession, the Flyers are getting severely out-played, giving up 26 more shot attempts than they’ve taken.
Twenty minutes or more left.