We've Got Controversy

The Flyers defeated the Rangers 6-2 last night to reach the halfway point of the 2007-08 season. Last night’s game was also the third straight start – and win- for back up goalie Antero Niittymaki.

In his last four starts, Niittymaki is 4-0 including a shut out win in Florida and a 54-save effort in Toronto. During the streak, Niitty has only allowed five goals, stopping 158 of the 163 shots he has faced.

Flyers coach John Stevens has already said that Niittymaki will get the start on Saturday afternoon against the Boston Bruins.

Lost in the wake of Niittymaki’s excellence is number one goalie, Martin Biron.

Biron has been in the league long enough to understand that when a goalie is on a hot streak like Niittymaki is, he’s going to continue to get starts. But this scenario has to be all too familiar to Biron, who asked out of Buffalo when he was supplanted as the starter by Ryan Miller.

Biron has been streaky this season, looking like an all-star for stretches and an American Leaguer for others. Of late, Biron has been playing well, winning two of his last three starts.

It’s just that Niittymaki has been playing better.

For a team that has had considerable goaltending issues in recent years, having two capable keepers is an asset to the Flyers and their playoff chances.

Hopefully the keepers see it that way, too.

At the Turn

Through 41 games this season, the Flyers are 22-15-4 (48 points), good for third place in the Atlantic Division and sixth place in the Eastern Conference. That’s 22 points ahead of where they stood a year ago, when they were the worst team in the NHL.

Hey Now, You’re an All-Star

Congratulations to center Mike Richards and defenseman Kimmo Timonen for being named to represent the Flyers on the Eastern Conference All-Star team.

Richards leads the Flyers in goals (19), assists (28), points (47), and plus/minus (+12), so he was an obvious add. Timonen has 20 points (5 G, 15 A), the majority of which have come on the power play. He’s also averaging better than 24 minutes of ice time per game, most of it against the opposing team’s top forward line.

In my opinion, center Daniel Briere should feel somewhat snubbed. He was fourth among forwards in fan balloting, and has more points (42) than Carolina’s Eric Staal (41), New York’s Scott Gomez (40), and Atlanta’s Marian Hossa (38), all of whom were selected. I mean, this isn’t baseball where every team must be represented. Why any of the aforementioned were given the nod ahead of Briere (who was the MVP of last year’s All-Star game), is beyond me.