After swatting away a close call with about a minute to go before setting the record, play carried on at the other end.
Another zero was posted on the scoreboard. And it was Bryz-ness as usual for the Flyers.
Bryzgalov etched his name into the Flyers' record books when he shattered John Vanbiesbrouck's 12-year-old franchise record by raising his shutout streak to an incredible 249:43 before Michael Grabner ruined his run with 6:30 left in the third period. Even with two late tallies, from Grabner and John Tavares, the Flyers hung on for a 3-2 win over the cellar-dwelling Islanders in front of 13,287.
Bryzgalov fell just minutes shy of becoming the only goaltender in the Flyers' rich history to shut out an opponent in four consecutive games.
Either way, Bryzgalov put his name on a cherished record for a Flyers franchise that has been living in goaltending hell largely since Ron Hextall aged past his prime in the mid-1990s. It's one that Hextall himself, Bernie Parent, and even Pelle Lindbergh could not touch.
Vanbiesbrouck held the Flyers' previous shutout streak of 227:40, from Oct. 17 to 26, 1999. Bryzgalov had not been scored on since Detroit's Johan Franzen beat him with 11:13 to play in the third period March 6.
In the process, Bryzgalov barely broke his own personal shutout streak last night, a flawless run of 249:15 set during the 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs when he was a member of the Anaheim Ducks. He had just 28 seconds to spare.
Even before Grabner scored, Bryzgalov still would have had some work to do to get within striking distance of the NHL's shutout streak records. His streak of 249:43 does not rank in the top five in league history.
Former Flyer Brian Boucher set the modern-day mark of 332:01 in 2003-04 with the Phoenix Coyotes, a run that spanned parts of six games.
Ottawa's Alex Connell holds the all-time shutout record of 461:29, way back in 1927-28. It is one mark that may well go unbroken.
Up until the third period, Bryzgalov's shutout streak appeared as if it was going to carry over into a sixth game. The Islanders posted no more than three or four quality scoring chances through the first two periods.
The Flyers gave him an early cushion, thanks to Zac Rinaldo's side-angle goal in the first period, so he could settle in and feel comfortable. In fact, Rinaldo's tally at 8:41 made sure the Flyers would escape the game's opening 10 minutes with a lead for the first time in 26 games.
Claude Giroux gave the Flyers a 2-0 edge with a one-timer blast from Jaromir Jagr less than five minutes later. Giroux set a career high with his 26th goal of the season. Scott Hartnell added his team-leading 33d goal of the season in the second period.
Suddenly, after Grabner broke the streak and Tavares piled on 45 seconds later, the Flyers found themselves in a fight not for a shutout, but just to escape to Boston with two important points in the standings.
Thanks to key defensive zone faceoff wins from Sean Couturier, the Flyers' defense banded together and made sure Bryzgalov's record-setting night ended with a W.
Contact Frank Seravalli at seravaf@phillynews.com or @DNFlyers on Twitter.
