http://www.yardbarker.com/rss/player/5265 Recent articles about Antero Niittymaki en-us No. 1 Star: Evgeni Nabokov(notes), San Jose SharksThe Sharks netminder was solid against the defending champions making 26 saves for his 49th career NHL shutout during a 5-0 San Jose victory. After facing just three shots in the first period, the Penguins tested Nabokov with 24 shots in the final two periods. Having taken a 4-0 lead early in the second period, Nabokov fought off a desperate Penguins team trying to break the shutout. No. 2 star: Antero Niittymaki(notes), Tampa Bay LightningAno... Sun, 08 Nov 2009 02:20:37 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Saturdays_Three_Stars_Nabokov_blanks_Pens_in_rout/1522665 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Saturdays_Three_Stars_Nabokov_blanks_Pens_in_rout/1522665 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Saturdays_Three_Stars_Nabokov_blanks_Pens_in_rout/1522665 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/4/6/4623773b721f7f4b534293d460177a93bdb244e3/small/GettyImage.ashx_url_http_3a_2f_2fcache.gettyimages.com_2fxc_2f91757552.jpg_3fv_3d1_26c_3dEWSAsset_26k_3d2_26d_3d77BFBA49EF878921CC759DF4EBAC47D0C97F4ED33500C9DF3F48D481F236CEA7882E90926F1174BA.jpg Could red-hot netminder Antero Niittymaki be the Olympic answer for Finland? THN looks at goalie situations as the Games near. Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:09:03 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Olympic_goalie_questions_ring_out/1518933 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Olympic_goalie_questions_ring_out/1518933 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Olympic_goalie_questions_ring_out/1518933 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/4/a/4a849137364a3bc7c745201e4333cb39b280ab14/small/Tampa_Bay_Lightning_0dc3.jpg With the Phils game later in the evening across the street, the NHL has pushed up the start time of the Flyers-Lightning game to 5:00 p.m. this evening. The boys in orange and black are coming off a big win Saturday and will face former teammate Steve Downie. Antero Niittymaki should also be dressed but may not see ice time. The Flyers will be handing out Phillie rally towels in support of the Philly boys on the diamond.In bad Flyers news, Paul Holmgren says Simon Gagne will have surgery and ... Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:42:45 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Reminder_Flyers_vs_Tampa_Puck_Drop_5/1486668 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Reminder_Flyers_vs_Tampa_Puck_Drop_5/1486668 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Reminder_Flyers_vs_Tampa_Puck_Drop_5/1486668 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/a/8/a87bc489885dc175cf5e2092e78af1b2ed32b540/small/Pittsburgh_Penguins_v_3fc9.jpg Or not. Looks like Antero Niittymaki will be staying in the NHL after all. The former Flyers goaltender, who had reached a preliminary contract with a team in the KHL, changed his mind and instead signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning, presumably to back up Mike Smith. The Lightning now have a very solid 1-2 punch in net.Still nothing, not even a rumor, about where Martin Biron is going to play next year. There is a team in Russia that needs a goalie now, Marty! Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:11:00 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Antero_Niittymaki_signs_with_Lightning_will_not_go_to_Russia/790873 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Antero_Niittymaki_signs_with_Lightning_will_not_go_to_Russia/790873 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Antero_Niittymaki_signs_with_Lightning_will_not_go_to_Russia/790873 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/c/3/c358422c61bed48db78e23d5aa4ab6eab99d304a/small/Montreal_Canadiens_v_e5d4.jpg Despite reportedly having a deal in place (and perhaps having signed that deal, depending on which reports you read), Antero Niittymaki won't be playing in Russia next season. Nitty has instead signed with the Lightning to back up Mike Smith. I wonder who Rick Tocchet will start in net when the Lightning play division foe Atlanta?  Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:49:10 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/On_Second_Thought_Nitty_Signs_With_Lightning/790794 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/On_Second_Thought_Nitty_Signs_With_Lightning/790794 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/On_Second_Thought_Nitty_Signs_With_Lightning/790794 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/3/9/39c9a61fe4e2451ad1af2a1872f63f4a4a948ea3/small/Philadelphia_Flyers_v_3261.jpg In an interesting twist of fate, it appears that free agent goalie Antero Niittymaki will head to the Russian KHL's Atlant Mytishchi, filling the spot vacated by Ray Emery, who was recently signed to be the Flyers' starter in '08-'09. Hopefully he'll have better luck with the team's staff than Emery did. Good luck to a good guy. We'll miss Nitty.  Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:59:57 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Report_Niittymaki_to_Sign_With_Ray_Emerys_Former_Russian_Club/787078 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Report_Niittymaki_to_Sign_With_Ray_Emerys_Former_Russian_Club/787078 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Report_Niittymaki_to_Sign_With_Ray_Emerys_Former_Russian_Club/787078 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/d/8/d824f47573c3f9caa43c8b3692cb36fcb650a507/small/b3.jpg According to CSNPhilly, word has spread around the NHL that the Flyers are deep in discussions with Emery and, barring a last-minute breakdown, will sign the goalie when free agency opens in July. Emery last played for a team in the KHL, a Russian League, after being waived by the Ottawa Senators in 2008. Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:21:54 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Goodbye_Marty_Flyers_To_Sign_Ray_Emery/652162 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Goodbye_Marty_Flyers_To_Sign_Ray_Emery/652162 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Goodbye_Marty_Flyers_To_Sign_Ray_Emery/652162 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/f/e/fec5bcbe112ac2e7039abc5f3e57917024fa378d/small/79856915.jpg We're always up for some goalie mask pr0n here at the Level, so we were happy to see Flyers backup backstop Antero Niittymaki rocking a new mask last night. It's a variation on the same theme his old mask carried, highlighting the nickname former coach Ken Hitchcock gave him. Nitty is an easy variation on his last name, of course, but it's also the name of a Sicilian-born mobster, Frank Nitti, whom Antero has painted on his old and new masks. His old one had Nitti holding machine ... Mon, 30 Mar 2009 08:55:44 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Nittys_New_Face/570812 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Nittys_New_Face/570812 In a rather surprising turn of events, it seems the Flyers are poised to stay with the hot hand and install Antero Niittymaki as the club's top goalkeeper. Wed, 11 Feb 2009 23:05:34 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Niittymaki_The_Starter_For_Now/507185 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Niittymaki_The_Starter_For_Now/507185 A day after a gutsy comeback against the Eastern Conference leading Boston Bruins, the Philadelphia Flyers were set to take on the Atlanta Thrashers, a team they have not lost to since 2005. In net for the Flyers was Antero Niittymaki who was looking to improve his record against Atlanta to ... Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:52:15 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Flyers_Defeat_Atlanta_Thrashers_Again/503540 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Flyers_Defeat_Atlanta_Thrashers_Again/503540 How do you celebrate a four-goal comeback? A nice quiet night at home? Not if you?re a professional athlete. You might hit the clubs, or a strip joint. Or, if you?re the Philadelphia Flyers, you crash a frat party. (Scottie Upshall and Mike Richards practice the 2-on-1) That was the scene ... Mon, 15 Dec 2008 10:00:50 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/Philadelphia_Flyers_Pop_Collars_Crash_Frat_Party/420591 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/Philadelphia_Flyers_Pop_Collars_Crash_Frat_Party/420591 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/Philadelphia_Flyers_Pop_Collars_Crash_Frat_Party/420591 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/5/0/5009763afd98b43c0e824b31e779c3f4f2fe4c3b/small/56ad879df2e81134804d273f1ae06219_upshallrichards3.jpg I'm as big an anti-shootout fan the NHL has this side of Wyshynski, but for once, I'm really glad to be watching a game that will have a winner, regardless of whether it's the team I'm pulling for. After beating the Habs in Montreal last night, the Flyers get a matchup with the Thrashers at the ... Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:09:56 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Flyers_Thrashers_Tonight_At_Least_It_Cant_End_in_a_Tie/378526 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Flyers_Thrashers_Tonight_At_Least_It_Cant_End_in_a_Tie/378526 What hope do the Flyers have if their goalies can't even stop little kids from scoring on them? Here's a clip of a group of youth hockey league kids getting their chance to score on Flyers goalies Antero Niitymaki and Martin Biron. Let's hope the goalies weren't trying, because of the three shots in the clip, two of them go in. Is it any wonder this team is struggling? Thu, 20 Mar 2008 19:09:12 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Even_little_kids_can_beat_the_Flyers/212829 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Even_little_kids_can_beat_the_Flyers/212829 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Even_little_kids_can_beat_the_Flyers/212829 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/6/f/6fda609463d741628bffc733287cff786cfea1f6/small/80199391.jpg