Goal Line Report
Next entry: Hot goalies
Previous entry: So Much for 82-0
Goaltenders Who Are Not Getting the Job Done
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/16/08 at 02:00 PM ET
Comments (5)
Through the first week in the NHL, I’ve noticed that lots of goaltenders, particularly in the Western Conference, are struggling. They’re allowing lots of soft goals, not making the save at key times, leaving lots of rebounds and more noticeably, not getting the W for their team.
The goaltenders I am talking about are Peter Budaj (Colorado Avalanche), Miika Kiprusoff (Calgary Flames), Jean-Sebastien Giguere (Anaheim Ducks), Joey MacDonald (New York Islanders) and Martin Biron (Philadelphia Flyers).
While Raycroft has yet to start a game (that could change in a hurry), Budaj has been terrible in his first three starts. Through his club’s first three games of the season, Budaj is 0-3 with a 4.38 goals-against average and .824 save percentage. He’s allowing a lot of goals, giving up lots of rebounds and more importantly, just not getting the job done. At this rate, the only way the Avalanche will solve their goaltending problems is by asking Patrick Roy to come out of retirement.
When Mike Keenan pulled Kiprussof in Game 7 of last year’s first round against the San Jose Sharks, I knew that Kiprussof was in trouble. At the time, he was already having some confidence problems so that only added to it. Six months later, it looks like the Flames’ goaltender is Swiss cheese as he is 1-1-1 with a 4.89 goals against average and a .826 save percentage. If Kipper doesn’t shape up soon, he may find himself riding the pine.
Giguere certainly isn’t getting “Jiggy” with it in Anaheim as he is 0-3 with a 4.38 goals-against average and .851 save percentage. These numbers are certainly below the norm for Giguere as he boasts a career-goals-against average of 2.44 and a .915 save percentage.
With Rick DiPietro still not in the lineup, the New York Islanders could be in trouble if they have to rely on Joey MacDonald to be their No.1 guy. MacDonald is 1-2 with a 3.67 goals-against average and a .878 save percentage. He was especially shaky in his team’s 7-1 loss to the Sabres’ on Monday afternoon. Fittingly, that game was “kid’s day” at the team’s arena (Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum) and MacDonald certainly looks like one in goal thus far.
For someone who is supposed to lead his team far into the playoffs and who is coming off a pretty solid season, starting out 0-2 with a 6.32 goals-against average and a .800 save percentage isn’t going to cut it. In his club’s season opening 4-3 loss to the New York Rangers, Biron allowed all four goals in the first period and looked especially slow on Fredrik Sjostrom’s wraparound goal. Hopefully, it’s just early season jitters and not something that will continue throughout the season.
Yes, it’s only the beginning of the season and there is a lot of hockey left to be played but if these goaltenders do not get their acts together, their respective teams could be in for a long, playoff-less season.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Jean-Sebastien+Giguere, Joey+MacDonald, Martin+Biron, Miika+Kiprusoff, Peter+Budaj,
Comments
Besides the one blow out MacDonald has been pretty darn good considering he’s the backup goalie on a crappy team. He’s not about to steal DP’s job anytime soon but I think the Islanders are pretty happy with how he has hung in there. He certainly did not look like a ‘kid’ in net when he handed the red-hot Blues their only loss of the season, nor when he made 25+ saves against NJ and kept the Isles in the game. No way does he belong on this list.
And didn’t Kipper start slowly last year too?
Posted by hammer from CA on 10/16/08 at 03:13 PM ET
To me the real related story is the backups who ARE delivering - Auld looked great in the 2d Sens-Pens Euro game, Boucher got a shutout for SJ the other day, and Khabibulin got Chi’s 1st win.
Posted by carl from illinois on 10/16/08 at 04:13 PM ET
To me the real related story is the backups who ARE delivering…
You can add Ty Conklin to that list. He was a bit shaky in the first period against Carolina, but he made some excellent saves from there on out. The only concern I have with Conklin is the big, fat, juicy rebounds he’s prone to give up. On a lesser team, he’d be digging a lot more pucks out of his net.
Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 10/16/08 at 05:24 PM ET
With Rick DiPietro still not in the lineup, the New York Islanders could be in trouble
As opposed to their sky’s-the-limit outlook with DP in net? Gimme a break. All this does is make their lottery chances slightly better.
Posted by shep from california on 10/16/08 at 06:18 PM ET
Add a Comment
Please limit embedded image or media size to 575 pixels wide.
Add your own avatar by joining Kukla's Korner, or logging in and uploading one in your member control panel.
Captchas bug you? Join KK or log in and you won't have to bother.
Commenting is not available in this weblog entry.
Most Recent Blog Posts
Rangers’ Best Players Come Through in Win Over the Flyers
Richards Wins It for the Blueshirts
Blueshirts Looking for Offense
Rangers Do It Again Over the Flyers
Jamie Shalley of NHL Home Ice Stops By To Talk Puck
About Goal Line Report
Patrick has a tremendous passion for hockey. Besides covering the Rangers and the NHL for Kukla’s Korner, you can also find Patrick’s work over at RLD Hockey, Rangers Tribune, and TheGoodPoint.com.
Prior to writing for the above mentioned outlets, you could find Patrick’s musings at hockey web sites/outlets such as TheHockeyNews.com, The Fourth Period, Spector’s Hockey, Hokeja Vestnesis, Blueshirt Bulletin, SNYRangersBlog.com and many more.
For questions, comments and hip checks, feel free to e-mail Patrick at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Watch great hockey at a low price with Dish Network Specials
When learning from experts it’s best to learn personally from them, or from their blog. We can provide that with poker lessons blog, your home to learn poker personally.
Do you get shocked from the luck in the game of poker? Stop getting shocked and start being a Poker Shoker
In the case of the Ducks it is much more the team letting down Giguere than Giguere letting down the team.
J.S. has actually looked pretty good getting those crappy results.
Posted by Earl Sleek from Anaheim, CA on 10/16/08 at 02:47 PM ET