Flyers' Bryzgalov: Shootout futility 'in my head'

NATURALLY, 1 DAY after the Flyers staked further claim to the NHL's worst shootout record since it was instituted in 2005, the breakaway contest was a topic of conversation at practice yesterday.

And Ilya Bryzgalov, who said the shootout is "not the best thing" in his repertoire, admitted his struggles in net stem from where most thought they did: inside his own head.

"It's all in my head," Bryzgalov said. "To be honest, I feel that right now during the shootout, it's like [a] soccer net behind me."

According to coach Peter Laviolette, the Flyers practiced the shootout yesterday for the third time in the last 10 days. Bryzgalov said he used to get 30 minutes of practice per day on the shootout in Russia.

With Phoenix and Anaheim, Bryzgalov was 19-21 all-time. He's 0-4 this season, having stopped just two of 10 attempts, which is well below the 67 percent average success rate for goaltenders this season.

Overall, the Flyers - who have gone to the shootout four times in their last seven games - are 1-5 for the extra point this season. Sergei Bobrovsky accounted for the Flyers' only win in net.

The Flyers overall record in the shootout is 20-39.

But the Flyers' goaltenders aren't the only ones who have struggled in the shootout. Throughout the NHL, scorers have connected on 241 of 727 attempts (33 percent) heading into last night's action. The Flyers' shooters are a combined 5-for-17 (29 percent) this season and 53-for-189 (28 percent) since 2005.

"As soon as I fix the shootout part in my head," Bryzgalov said, "I'm going to be fine."

- Frank Seravalli