Playoff Goalie Debuts
Wow. This table, while offering nothing than oversimplified stats, is pretty frickin’ unreal. Who needs playoff-tested netminders when you can get first-time performances like this?
Playoff Stats | W-L | GAA | Sv% |
|---|---|---|---|
Giguere ‘03 | 15-6 | 1.62 | .946 |
Other Goalies ‘03 |
| 2.21 | .914 |
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Bryzgalov ‘06 | 6-4 | 1.46 | .944 |
Other Goalies ‘06 |
| 2.73 | .904 |
A few brag-worthy notes:
- Cam Ward (2.14 GAA, .920 Sv%), Mr. Conn Smythe, would have to stop 253 straight shots over more than 615 minutes to improve enough to match Breezy’s gaudy playoff numbers.
- J.S. Giguere’s numbers are somewhat tainted by a mediocre cup finals. Before the Tonight Show appearance and the ridiculous ten days off, J.S. was sporting a nice 1.22 GAA and a .960 Sv%. In the 12 wins to that point, Giguere was first star of the game 9 times and second star twice.
- Many might be critical of Giguere’s stats in that involved a one-goal sweep of the pre-Demitra Wild. Well, here is a statistic I threw together back on May 13, 2003, two games into Giguere’s three-shutout streak:
"Man, it's got to be tough transitioning from Cloutier to Giguere. Giguere has stopped 63 Wild shots, and the Wild are now 0-8 on the powerplay over the two games.
On the last 63 shots the Wild took on Vancouver, they scored 15 goals. On their last 8 powerplays against Vancouver, they scored 4 times."
- Of course, Bryzgalov does have the shutout streak (249:15) over Giguere (217:54), but I always lose track after 150 minutes anyway.
- Then again, Giguere’s 2003 year also involved the still-continuing OT streak, which then stood at 9-0, 95 saves over 168:27. (Against Calgary this spring he added one win and a saveless 1:36.)
Really, I have three questions:
Are we re-signing Bryzgalov in time for camp?
If so, which goaltender are we going to trade, and what are we going to get in return?If not, could this be Michael Leighton’s breakout playoff year?
3 comments:
That's a tough situation with Bryzgalov and Giguere. I'm not sure who I'd part with.
Probably trade Giguere for a cheaper skilled backup goalie and some high draft picks.
But what goalie do you trust more Earl?
A good question.
On last year's team (and I suspect this coming year's team) the answer is Bryzgalov, simply because I think he is the better guy when it comes to breakaways and odd-man rushes (and thus shootouts also).
If, however, Pronger is able to stem that tide, I think Giguere has proven that given a system where he can see every shot and each shot is somewhat contested, then he can close the door. Period.
I don't give either guy credit or punishment for personality; that doesn't matter too much to me.
Aw, what the hell. I'll say Breezy, but the differences might not even matter that much.
Brian Burke quote:
"Barring aliens landing here, we will start the season with both. We have two goalies who are established, they can both be No. 1 goalies in this league and we'll sort out who it will be."
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