BOSTON — It's hardly a decision that will come as a shock to anyone who has watched the first three games of the series, but Flyers coach Peter Laviolette did confirm that he will be switching goalies for Game 4 at the Garden on Friday.
Rookie Sergei Bobrovsky will get the call as Philadelphia tries to stave off elimination down 3-0 to the Bruins in their Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Brian Boucher had started each of the first three games of the series, but had yet to play a full game. He was lifted in Game 1 after allowing five goals on 23 shots in a 7-3 Boston victory and pulled in Game 3 after surrendering four goals on 20 shots in a 5-1 Bruins win. Boucher also left Game 2 briefly in the second period with a hand injury, but returned to start the third, giving up three goals on 35 shots as the Bruins won 3-2 in overtime.
"Bob will start in net for us tonight," Laviolette said. "Brian has come in and played really well. He came in and pinch hit for Bob early on and played really well for us. But we find ourselves down three [games] here and Bob has come off the bench a couple times and looked good. We are getting him back in there tonight."
Boucher was strong in the opening series against Buffalo, going 4-1 with a 2.10 GAA and .934 save percentage, but hasn't come close to replicating those numbers in this series. Bobrovsky has been better in his limited action, allowing three goals on 24 shots in 56:15 in his three appearances. The only goal he allowed on Wednesday in Game 3 came in the closing minutes of the third with Boston on a two-man advantage.
"I think he does a pretty good job of sealing the net," Bruins forward Rich Peverley said of Bobrovsky. "He's pretty quick and agile. So obviously if we get chances we're going to have him moving a little bit and get the puck up. Obviously he's a pretty talented goalie that did well this year, so it's going to be no different than when Brian Boucher is in there."
Bobrovsky plays a slightly different style than Boucher, but the Bruins don't plan on altering their approach too much regardless of who is in net for the Flyers.
"I think every team is prepared for anything right now," Bruins coach Claude Julien said. "When you play the same team in a series, you pre-scout everybody. They do the same thing to us. So it doesn't really matter to us who they put in net. I think we're prepared for whatever scenario is thrown at us. Now it's just a matter of going out there and doing the job and doing it right."
