PETER LAVIOLETTE loves to joke that he doesn't watch film.
He doesn't watch "film" and he doesn't use "tapes." Instead, he reviews and replays Flyers games on his laptop, using the latest "digital technology available" that makes his job a little bit easier.
Playing back last Thursday's opener before his team's second test on Saturday against New Jersey, Laviolette did not need the latest technology to confirm what he saw live from the bench.
Ilya Bryzgalov has looked phenomenal in his first two starts as a Flyer. He earned the team's first shutout since April 6, 2010 - a span of 85 regular-season games - on Saturday in a 3-0 win over the Devils. But it's easy to look good when the defense doesn't allow more than a handful of scoring chances - and Bryzgalov has said as much.
"There wasn't much for him," Laviolette told reporters after the game. "When you hold a team low in scoring chances and a zero on the board, that's what you shoot for - strong defense. We got strong defense and good goaltending. That's a good combination."
By Laviolette's count, the Flyers allowed just five scoring chances in the third period against Boston despite being outshot, 11-4. Four of the shots came on the Bruins' power play.
On Saturday, Bryzgalov faced just 20 shots. By our count, only six of them were scoring chances. And three of those came in the first 20 minutes, meaning the Flyers battened down and allowed just three scoring chances the remaining 40 minutes.
Aside from their stingy defense - and the addition of defensively minded forwards like Max Talbot, Wayne Simmonds and Sean Couturier - the Flyers' increased speed has played a big factor. It has cut down on the turnovers breaking out of the defensive zone and brought the puck out of dangerous neutral-zone scenarios with relative ease.
Jeff Carter and Mike Richards were not slow, but the Flyers' offseason changes have not only made them younger but one of the fastest teams in the league.
It has been just two games, but the new-look Flyers are faster at the blue lines, not only willing to stand up opponents at the entrance to their own zone but more active at keeping teams pinned in their own end.
