There are two goalies in the National Hockey League that need more playing time right now. For different reasons.
One is on a team that has wandered out of the wilderness and looking for it's first playoff berth in more than a decade. The other is for a team that was once dominant, but is now rebuilding.
One is at the end of his career. The other is about in the middle of it.
One has a whole lot of experience. The other would cherish that, if given an opportunity.
Craig Anderson is the type of goalie who has seen peaks and valleys during his career. It's not necessarily his play, but rather the men in front of him. Their play has not always been up to par. But he's helping guide the Buffalo Sabers back to respectability.
Alex Stalock is the classic example of a goalie who has never quite found a home (Think Gary "Suitcase" Smith). It all started for him in San Jose a while back. Here Alex was, playing just a single National Hockey League game in 2010/11, but having at least some satisfaction that he made the big leagues.
It wasn't exactly what Stalock had hoped. The game was really a half game. The rookie played 29 minutes and 47 seconds for the San Jose Sharks on February 11th. The native of St. Paul, Minnesota would more than hold his own for the Sharks that night. The Minnesota Wild threw nine shots at him. The Wild had a 3-0 lead when the new goalie took over from Antti Niemi. From there, San Jose scored five goals, and Stalock had a most unexpected win, Elroy Face style, in his first NHL game.
So most of the season, 61 games, was spent at Worcester, San Jose's AHL team. Sure, the kid needed some playing time, but Alex would soon finding himself needing some National Hockey League action. But Stalock would see none of that in 2011/12, and only two NHL games in the strike-shortened 12/13 season.
Patience paid off, as he had an excellent rookie season in 2013/14. 1.87 goals-against average, .932 save percentage. A 12-5-2 record. The big problems was, Alex Stalock was merely a back-up netminder. He'd play 24 games that year, and another 22 the next. His performance dropped a bit, and that certainly didn't help.
The Sharks traded the kid to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a deal that brought San Jose James Reimer. Reimer, by the way, was one of my favourites, and I was sad to see him go. But, looking back, I feel bad for Alex Stalock, too. He would not play a single NHL game for Toronto.
So it was on to Minnesota as a free agent for Stalock. There, things seemed to improve. He even appeared in a career-best 38 games in 2019/20. Alex won 20 games that season.
Now, you'd think Stalock was set to stay with the Wild. Instead it would be back to San Jose after a stop in Edmonton which saw the goalie play not a single NHL game. Were things better the second time around for Stalock? Alex played one game in 2021/22. It was tough, as the goaltender was suffering from myocarditis during 20/21. It seemed like hockey life wasn't offering him enough action.
The Chicago Blackhawks might have been the last place Alex wanted to go to. They'd fallen a long way by the time Stalock signed with them for 2022/23. But the 22/23 season has been a lot better than you would have figured.
There was a concussion. There was oculomotor dysfunction. Alex missed several games between those two issues. But the goalie, who turned 35 years old on July 28th of 2022, turned each of those into temporary setbacks. The team in front of him was not good, but he persevered.
A December 23rd win capped of a strong streak, dating back to October 21st, that Chicago's new goalie went 4-1-1 with a credible .905 save percentage. The tough time were inevitable for a team that looked to unload the contracts of their two big guns (Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews), and soon the poor newcomer to the Blackhawks to the patience test.
On the last day of February, a 4-1 loss to Arizona officially dropped Alex Stalock's season record under .500 (6-7-1). However, earlier this year, Alex shutout the Coyotes. And just the other day (March 6th), Stalock was awesome, stopping all 35 shots against in a 5-0 win over the surging Ottawa Senators.
The magic appeared to carry over to last Wednesday's game. It's a bit of a tough time in Chicago. Sure, they'd won five in a row from February 17th to 25th. Reality was, the Blackhawks were still only 21-32-5 despite their recent hot streak. Patrick Kane was going all out for Chicago, as he and Jonathan Toews were in their final year of their contracts. Toews, suffering from illness that Covid is a part of, has not played since January 28th, was on hot streak, with eight points in his last ten games. Chicago did not trade him at the deadline, but dealt Kane to the New York Rangers, and that sort of marked the end of an era.
With that said, it's not like having Toews around again, even just until the end of the season, wouldn't give the team a lift. He's one of the last links to the glory days of the Blackhawks, with Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013 and 2015. This is probably the toughest stretches of the season for Chicago, who has endured not one, but two eight-game losing streaks in 2022/23.
So it was up to the kids to respond. The game against Detroit appeared to be a good one for Chicago, as they took an early 2-0 lead on a pair of goals by Taylor Raddysh. Reality set in, and Detroit roared back to win, 4-3.
A tough loss for this young Blackhawks team. But their 35-year old goalie Alex Stalock had performed admirably. 41 shots against, 37 saves. And a close look at Alex's record to date bears that this was typical of him all year. His save percentage is now an excellent .920, fifth in the National Hockey League among goalies who have appeared in fifteen or more games. The loss dropped his record to 7-8-1, but it's been quite a season for this veteran.
Who knows what will happen to Alex at the end of the season. A kid, Jaxon Stauber, who's father Robb played in the NHL, opened some eyes by going 5-1-0 in a short stint with the Blackhawks this season. Petr Mrazek is signed through 2023/24, but has really struggled. Stalock was only signed for a one-year deal. Mrazek has been having his problems in the Chicago net.
In order to qualify for for the save percantage title, a goalie must play at least 26 games (In an 82-game season). That's the other thing: Shouldn't Chicago make the kind jester to allow one of their better players to possibly lead the league in a positive stat?
Alex has been one of Chicago's lone bright spot, and given his vagabond-like career, it would be nice to see it end the right way in the Windy City. Obviously, the chance to draft a player like Connor Bedard is good a prospect to pass up, but with a guy like Jonathan Toews winding down his Chicago career, it would be nice to see the Blackhawks putting out their best team on the ice.
Craig Anderson is 41, with his next birthday looming in May. Unlike Stalock, Anderson has seen it all. His own NHL career started way back in 2002/03. Back when scoring was low, and with Alex Stalock's current team.
Anderson didn't really impress with the Blackhawks, but that was alright. The native of Park Ridge, Illinois was a classic case of a late bloomer. His next stop was in Florida, where he flourished. It seemed to all come together in Colorado in 2009/10, as Craig made 71 appearances, winning 38.
Though the Avalanche lost in the first round of the playoffs, Anderson impressed there, too. His .933 save percentage was tops among goalies in the postseason. It was no fluke.
Craig went on to Ottawa, where he'd some good and some bad teams. Anderson seemed to be the one constant good player on the team who would bring it every night. Never was that more evident than in the 2017 postseason. It had been a tough year for him. His wife Nicholle had battled throat cancer that season, and Craig was there at her side. When he returned to the Senators, he was ever the goalie, taking them to within a goal of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Anderson's time in Ottawa ended after the 2019/20 season. Washington signed him the next season, but really didn't seem to think he could help. In limited time (Four appearances), Craig went 2-1 with a .915 save percentage. He also made two playoff appearances against Boston, his first postseason in four years. Anderson's save percentage in those two games was .929. Did he still have it? Or was it time, now around 40, to call it?
Well, Buffalo had been a team that had struggled for so long. There had been Craig Anderson in 2012/13, 12-9-2, league-leading .941 save percentage and 1.69 goals-against average. Craig was helping Ottawa that season, but not Buffalo, who limped home to a 21-21-6. It would be their last .500 season to date.
The 21/22 team was seemingly going nowhere when they signed Craig Anderson. Could the old man get through the season? He sure did. And though Buffalo only won 32 games in 2021/22, Craig had made a big difference. The Sabres were 15-34-7 in 2020/21, so this was a huge improvement, 32-39-11. Anderson wasn't quite the goalie he'd used to be, as his save percentage was below .900 (.897) and his goals-against average was above three, (3.12), but his record was very good. 17-12-2. Put in perspective, backup goalie Dustin Tokarski was 10-12-5, with a .899 save percentage and 3.27 GAA. Craig found ways to win games that Dustin could not. The team had to scrape and claw their way to victories most nights, as Buffalo was only 22nd in goals for (232) and allowed 290 goals against (Only seven teams allowed more)
But Craig basically said, in regards to his solid 2021/22 season, "If you think that's good, wait until you see what's next!" Next, as in "Next season." It's been one of those years where many things have come together for Buffalo. Tage Thompson, who is from Phoenix, Arizona, seems poised to top the 50 goal, 100 point mark. His previous high in goals was 38. Then, there was defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. He'd had a pretty good season for the Sabers in 2021/22, with 13 goals and 40 assists in 80 games. But now, just a year later, and in only 60 games, Rasmus already has 63 points.
Buffalo has been an offence juggernaut this year. But in order to win games, you need goaltending. That's where Craig Anderson comes into play.
He's just 9-9-2. But the big numbers are back to vintage Anderson: .918 save percentage and 2.78 goals-against average (Those numbers would unquestionably be better if Buffalo wasn't such a young team)
And it's paying dividends for the Sabers. Their other goalies are too young and inexperienced to carry a budding team. At least to take in the bulk of the work. The Sabres have actually employed three primary netminders, with Craig Anderson sometimes the forgotten man.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is in just his third season in the National Hockey League. His win-loss record is pretty much what you'd expect from a newbie on a poor team. 1-3-0 in 2020/21. 2-5-2 in 21/22 despite a fine .917 save percentage and 2.74 goals-against average.
This year has been a bit of a struggle for Luukkonen. Though he's the big winner on the Sabres with fifteen W's (So far), his save percentage (.893) and GAA (3.61) have not been up to par prior to Saturday's game against the New York Rangers. The 15-10-2 record is not complimented his overall numbers. Having said that, Ukko-Pekka gave a pretty good performance in a 2-1 overtime loss against New York two days ago.
The Sabres third goalie is Eric Comrie, who has had quite an NHL adventure. Not too far off Alex Stalock's. Two tour of duties with the Winnipeg Jets. Stops in Detroit and New Jersey. Here, in Buffalo, it's been tough. Despite an 8-9-0 record, Eric might not be NHL-ready just yet. His S% is only .877 and his GAA is 3.87. And Comrie has battled injuries.
First, there was a lower body injury in November. And just recently, after being pummeled for ten goals on forty-nine shots against Dallas on Friday (March 9th), there was another injury, again to the lower body. He is listed as week-to-week.
So this opens the door for Craig Anderson. The Sabres are in a bit of a slump, currently sitting at sixth place in their division. Now, it all depends how you look at it. They are but four points back of the Florida Panthers, but Buffalo has two games in hand. They trail the fifth-place Ottawa Senators by just a point (70-69), but with a game in hand.
Getting to fourth place would be an amazing accomplishment for the Sabres, however that does not guarantee them a playoff spot. Spots seventh and eighth (The two wild-card positions) in the Eastern Conference are currently occupied by Pittsburgh and the New York Islanders. The Pens appear to have things in order, 34-22-10, having gone 7-2-1 in their last ten contests. That's put Pittsburgh up to 78 points in 66 games. Very unlikely that Buffalo can catch them.
The New York Islanders are a different matter. They have 76 points, but have played three more games than the Buffalo Sabres (68-65). So there is still a chance for Buffalo to catch them. The Sabres need to start winning, as the Islanders, too, are heating up (6-3-1 in their last 10 contests, compared to the Sabres 4-5-1 in that span).
With Comrie out, Craig Anderson steps back into the picture. He's been here before. Think back to 2014/15, when he was the forgotten man when Andre Hammond came up from the minors, and guided Ottawa to the playoff spot. But that's where things got tough. Anderson returned in the playoffs, going 2-2 to go along with a .972 save percentage and a 0.97 goals-against average. The Senators sort of just sneaked in the playoffs in 2015, which is what the Sabres are trying to do eight years later.
Eric Comrie's injury opens the door for Craig Anderson. As you can see, there are Craig's numbers, and then there are every other goalie for Buffalo's numbers. Two vastly different levels. And then there is Anderson's playoff numbers (24 wins, 23 losses, .929 save percentage, 2.36 goals-against average). Who'd you rather have in there come late March on?
If the Sabres are to sneak into the playoffs, they will need goaltending down the stretch (Sixteen games) to get there. Buffalo has it on offence, as their team has lit the red lamp 238 times this year (Good enough for third overall in goals for). I dread, for other NHL teams' sake, to think what this mostly-young Sabres team will be like to play against in a few seasons.
Getting back to Anderson, it's still up in the air if he wants to continue after this season. In an interview with Elliote Friedman that he is leaning towards retirement after this season, feeling the lure of spending more time with his children. But that was back in November. From his first December appearance in 2022 to his narrow 3-2 loss to Edmonton in Craig's last game (March 6th), it's been great for Anderson. 6-6-2, an amazing 40-save shutout performance included. Another game more recently where Craig stopped 49 out of 50 Florida shots. So in the last sixteen games, all he's done is record a .921 save percentage and a 2.75 goals-against average. Craig has lost some close games, too. Which is what you'd expect if you are on a young team that is still learning about the finer points of defence.
Craig could choose to go the Johnny Bower route in hockey. Bower continued to excel well past his 40th birthday. The Leafs' old warhorse of the 1960s continued to be one of the best goalies in the National Hockey League past the big 4-0, lasting six more seasons. Anderson will take on Bower's old team tonight. Buffalo is a little short on goalie talent right now, and Craig not only clearly the best goalie on the Sabres, but the most consistent one.
References
“Alex Stalock Contract, Cap Hit, Salary and Stats.” Cap Friendly, CapFriendly.com, https://www.capfriendly.com/players/alex-stalock. 13 Mar. 2023.
CBSSports.com, Columbia Broadcasting System, https://www.cbssports.com/. 13 Mar. 2023.
Hoppe, Bill. “Goalie Eric Comrie Injured Again in Rough First Season with Sabres.” Buffalo Hockey Beat, Olean Times Herald, 13 Mar. 2023, https://www.buffalohockeybeat.com/goalie-eric-comrie-injured-again-in-rough-first-season-with-sabres/. 13 Mar. 2023.
Lazerus, Mark. “Five Blackhawks Thoughts, from Pride Night to Jonathan Toews’ Pending Return.” The Athletic, The Athletic Media Company, https://theathletic.com/4290143/2023/03/08/blackhawks-loss-red-wings-pride-jonathan-toews/. 13 Mar. 2023.
NHL.com. “Official Site of the National Hockey League.” NHL.com, The National Hockey League, https://www.nhl.com/. 13 Mar. 2023.
Roumeliotis, Charlie. “When Healthy, Stalock Has Been One of Best Goalies This Season.” NBC Sports, National Broadcast Company , 7 Mar. 2023, https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/blackhawks/ when-healthy-alex-stalock-has-been-one-nhls-best-goaltenders-season. 13 Mar. 2023.
Smith, Connor. “Blackhawks Would Be Wise to Extend Alex Stalock.” The Hockey Writers, The Hockey Writers, 10 Mar. 2023, https://thehockeywriters.com/blackhawks-alex-stalock-extension-wise-decision/. 13 Mar. 2023.
Sports Reference LLC. Hockey-Reference.com - Hockey Statistics and History. https://www.hockey-reference.com/. 13 Mar. 2023.
Sportsnet, "32 Thoughts: Craig Anderson Reflects On Career Path, If He'll Be Back Next Season & More." YouTube, 23 Nov. 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NwQLPYRyzo. 13 Mar. 2023.
Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/. 13 Mar. 2023.
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Showing posts with label craig anderson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label craig anderson. Show all posts
Monday, March 13, 2023
Anderson And Stalock: Why They Need To Play More!
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Sure Could Have Fooled Me!
32 games into this (2015/16) season sees the Ottawa Senators two grand goalies from last year match various totals from all of last year. I'm sure Craig Anderson is fine with that. Poor Andrew Hammond had a tough act to follow. But the Sens can rest assured that last year was no fluke.
Hammond's season has been a bit frustrating. It was impossible not to get caught up in last year's hoopla. There was a relief appearance on February 16th vs. Carolina, where he gave up two goals on five shots in under 21 minutes of work. A no-decision. But soon, he won, won, won. Hammond won his first start vs. Montreal two days later, stopping 42 of 44 shots on goal. It was his first NHL win. But soon, he'd have a lot more. Riding an unbelievable wave of invincibility, Andrew used that win and went 14-0-1 before finally losing in regulation on the 26th of March to the Islanders. Hammond wasn't the least bit concerned and finished the season 6-0-1. That upped his 2015/16 (And lifetime) record to an amazing 20-1-2. And this wasn't a case of the Sens winning games for him, or anything else of that fluky nature. His goals-against average was 1.79 and his save percentage was .941.
He did not, however, finish in the top ten in the last two categories (Or in any other for that matter), because Andrew did not appear in the required amount of games. And when the playoffs started against the Canadians, reality stepped in. Granted, Andrew didn't play bad, but Carey Price basically just reminded Hammond, "Hey! I'm a pretty good goalie two!" So after two games (And two losses!), it was the end of the line (For 2014/15) for Hammond. But, there was that other goalie on Ottawa, right?
That other goalie was Craig Anderson, by name. And unlike Hammond, he did lead finish in the top ten in a category. Save percentage, seventh, with .923. But had Craig lost his job? Well, his performance in the playoffs, 2-2, 0.97, .972, suggested otherwise. That upped his career playoff stats to 12-14, 2.35, .933. That's the kind of SV% that should keep you around. Did it?
Well, come the fall, Hammond suffered a groin injury during skating drills. That stalled his season. So Hammond didn't get into a game until October 22nd. Anderson had to pick up the slack. He did.
Through last Sunday (December 13th), he's back being the number one goalie in Ottawa. And he has every intentions of keeping it. Hammond, mind you, went 2-0-2 in his first four games, then suffered a concussion that sidelined him until the middle of December. When he returned to action vs. Washington on the 16th, he lost in regulation. It took him five games to do that this season. It took him 16 games (And 24 total if you include the relief appearance) last year for that "one" to appear in the regulation losses column.
Anderson only made it to 14 wins last year in 35 games. He has been no stranger to injuries, and last year was no exception. But so far this year, he's avoided the injury bug, and manged to lead all goalies in games played (26), and matched his win total from last year. Yes, the goals-against average is up and the save-percentage in down, but it's only a matter of time.
And with Hammond back, Anderson can look forward for some well-deserved rest. But I don't think Hammond wants to lose again in regulation again. He's got last year's total on his mind. He doesn't want to "better" it, does he?
References
Sports Reference LLC. Hockey-Reference.com - Hockey Statistics and History. http://www.hockey-reference.com/. Web. 21 Oct. 2015.
Garrioch, B.. "Disappointing start for injured Senators goalie Andrew Hammond", Ottawa Sun. Web. 21 Oct. 2015. http://www.ottawasun.com/2015/10/05/disappointing-start-for-injured-senators-goalie-andrew-hammond
Garrioch, B. "Can Senators' Andrew Hammond return to miracle play?" Ottawa Sun. Web. 21 Oct. 2015. http://www.ottawasun.com/2015/10/21/can-senators-andrew-hammond-return-to-miracle-play
“Official Site of the National Hockey League.” NHL.com, National Hockey League. Web. 21 Oct. 2015. www.nhl.com/.
Scanlan, W. (2015, December 16). "Washington Capitals spoil the Hamburglar's return, edge Ottawa Senators 2-1" National Post. Web. 21 Oct. 2015. http://news.nationalpost.com/sports/nhl/washington-capitals-spoil-the-hamburglars-return-edge-past-ottawa-senators-2-1
Shackles, T. "Craig Anderson Is The Senators Most Important Piece In 2015-16" Silver Seven. Web. 21 Oct. 2015. http://www.silversevensens.com/2015/8/30/9224209/craig-anderson-is-the-senators-most-important-piece-in-2015-16-ottawa-senators-nhl
NHL. “Senators @ Capitals Highlights 12/16/15.” YouTube, uploaded by National Hockey League, Web. 17 Dec. 2015, <www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnd4QNsdF_I>.
Hammond's season has been a bit frustrating. It was impossible not to get caught up in last year's hoopla. There was a relief appearance on February 16th vs. Carolina, where he gave up two goals on five shots in under 21 minutes of work. A no-decision. But soon, he won, won, won. Hammond won his first start vs. Montreal two days later, stopping 42 of 44 shots on goal. It was his first NHL win. But soon, he'd have a lot more. Riding an unbelievable wave of invincibility, Andrew used that win and went 14-0-1 before finally losing in regulation on the 26th of March to the Islanders. Hammond wasn't the least bit concerned and finished the season 6-0-1. That upped his 2015/16 (And lifetime) record to an amazing 20-1-2. And this wasn't a case of the Sens winning games for him, or anything else of that fluky nature. His goals-against average was 1.79 and his save percentage was .941.
He did not, however, finish in the top ten in the last two categories (Or in any other for that matter), because Andrew did not appear in the required amount of games. And when the playoffs started against the Canadians, reality stepped in. Granted, Andrew didn't play bad, but Carey Price basically just reminded Hammond, "Hey! I'm a pretty good goalie two!" So after two games (And two losses!), it was the end of the line (For 2014/15) for Hammond. But, there was that other goalie on Ottawa, right?
That other goalie was Craig Anderson, by name. And unlike Hammond, he did lead finish in the top ten in a category. Save percentage, seventh, with .923. But had Craig lost his job? Well, his performance in the playoffs, 2-2, 0.97, .972, suggested otherwise. That upped his career playoff stats to 12-14, 2.35, .933. That's the kind of SV% that should keep you around. Did it?
Well, come the fall, Hammond suffered a groin injury during skating drills. That stalled his season. So Hammond didn't get into a game until October 22nd. Anderson had to pick up the slack. He did.
Through last Sunday (December 13th), he's back being the number one goalie in Ottawa. And he has every intentions of keeping it. Hammond, mind you, went 2-0-2 in his first four games, then suffered a concussion that sidelined him until the middle of December. When he returned to action vs. Washington on the 16th, he lost in regulation. It took him five games to do that this season. It took him 16 games (And 24 total if you include the relief appearance) last year for that "one" to appear in the regulation losses column.
Anderson only made it to 14 wins last year in 35 games. He has been no stranger to injuries, and last year was no exception. But so far this year, he's avoided the injury bug, and manged to lead all goalies in games played (26), and matched his win total from last year. Yes, the goals-against average is up and the save-percentage in down, but it's only a matter of time.
And with Hammond back, Anderson can look forward for some well-deserved rest. But I don't think Hammond wants to lose again in regulation again. He's got last year's total on his mind. He doesn't want to "better" it, does he?
References
Sports Reference LLC. Hockey-Reference.com - Hockey Statistics and History. http://www.hockey-reference.com/. Web. 21 Oct. 2015.
Garrioch, B.. "Disappointing start for injured Senators goalie Andrew Hammond", Ottawa Sun. Web. 21 Oct. 2015. http://www.ottawasun.com/2015/10/05/disappointing-start-for-injured-senators-goalie-andrew-hammond
Garrioch, B. "Can Senators' Andrew Hammond return to miracle play?" Ottawa Sun. Web. 21 Oct. 2015. http://www.ottawasun.com/2015/10/21/can-senators-andrew-hammond-return-to-miracle-play
“Official Site of the National Hockey League.” NHL.com, National Hockey League. Web. 21 Oct. 2015. www.nhl.com/.
Scanlan, W. (2015, December 16). "Washington Capitals spoil the Hamburglar's return, edge Ottawa Senators 2-1" National Post. Web. 21 Oct. 2015. http://news.nationalpost.com/sports/nhl/washington-capitals-spoil-the-hamburglars-return-edge-past-ottawa-senators-2-1
Shackles, T. "Craig Anderson Is The Senators Most Important Piece In 2015-16" Silver Seven. Web. 21 Oct. 2015. http://www.silversevensens.com/2015/8/30/9224209/craig-anderson-is-the-senators-most-important-piece-in-2015-16-ottawa-senators-nhl
NHL. “Senators @ Capitals Highlights 12/16/15.” YouTube, uploaded by National Hockey League, Web. 17 Dec. 2015, <www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnd4QNsdF_I>.
Monday, December 7, 2015
Hammond And Bernier: Don't Give Up On Them Yet!
A few weeks back I wrote about Craig Anderson and James Reimer. They were back where they belonged after being usurped. For Reimer, it's been a two year wait. For Anderson, it was The Kid with an amazing run. Ottawa and Toronto will need these two.
Jonathan Bernier, who assumed the number one role from Reimer two seasons ago, appears to be making the turnaround. He's found himself in the minor leagues. Well, Jonathan doesn't have to worry about not playing now, as his backup is the zamboni driver (Are the Leafs trying to motivate him?). But seriously, he's posted back-to-back shutouts and is definitely going to get the call. And a short drive, if you know what I mean.
It's still early in the season, but their is plenty of time for Bernier, with a few good starts at the NHL to turn it around. He played very well in 2013/14 for Toronto, but an injury suffered late in the season didn't help. He played more the next season, 58 games compared to 55 in 13/14, but his play dropped. Jonathan was still the number one guy when the Leafs' season started this year, in spite of some serious off-season changes to Leafland management.
But then a funny thing happend.
James Reimer started to play. And play well. Bernier wasn't winning games or getting any goal support. You know, like the stat run support in baseball? James just seemed to hit his stride. But then he got hurt, which opens the door for Bernier.
Right now, Toronto is using Garrett Sparks, who wasn't even alive when the Leafs made it to within a game of the Stanley Cup finals back in 1993. That gives you an idea of his age. So far, so good. 2-1, 2.33, .920, and a shutout to boot. But there's no way Toronto can go with this kid, unless he's the second coming of Andrew Hammond (More on him later).
But Bernier has experience. He played well as a backup with the Los Angeles Kings before Toronto acquired him for Ben Scrivens and Matt Frattin. His time in Los Angeles impressed the Leafs' brass, and made Scrivens expendable. Even if the situation in Toronto is that the Leafs never make him the #1 guy, he's under contract for two years. Maybe he will regain that status with Reimer hurt. Regardless, we have not heard the last about Bernier in Toronto.
Andrew Hammond came out of nowhere to go 20-1-2 last season. He's 2-0-2 this season, proving that last year was no fluke for the Senators' netminder. But really, the job was always Craig Andesons's and last years' playoff sort of proved it. While he is 34, Craig's shown no signs of slowing down. And while his stats aren't eye-popping this season (Yet, but just watch, they will), he's proven himself in stealing games over and over again. Usually, the goalie who "wins" you games is the number one guy, where as the guy that can also stop pucks in the backup. That's the way it goes in the NHL.
Hammond, though, suffered a concussion (Goalies are always at risk for that in a crowded crease) back in mid-November, and might be gone for a time. But his real numbers this year (.930 SV% despite the opposition averaging nearly 36 shots on goal a night) are enough to make me feel like he'll be around a while when he comes around. The Sens third-stringer, Matt O'Connor, has been used just once this season, and it's been all-Anderson even in back-to-back nights. Ottawa is not sold on O'Connor at this point.
References
“Official Site of the National Hockey League” NHL.com. National Hockey League. Web. (07 Dec. 2015). http://www.nhl.com/
Sports Reference LLC. Hockey-Reference.com - Hockey Statistics and History. http://www.hockey-reference.com/. Web. (7 Dec. 2015)
Jonathan Bernier, who assumed the number one role from Reimer two seasons ago, appears to be making the turnaround. He's found himself in the minor leagues. Well, Jonathan doesn't have to worry about not playing now, as his backup is the zamboni driver (Are the Leafs trying to motivate him?). But seriously, he's posted back-to-back shutouts and is definitely going to get the call. And a short drive, if you know what I mean.
It's still early in the season, but their is plenty of time for Bernier, with a few good starts at the NHL to turn it around. He played very well in 2013/14 for Toronto, but an injury suffered late in the season didn't help. He played more the next season, 58 games compared to 55 in 13/14, but his play dropped. Jonathan was still the number one guy when the Leafs' season started this year, in spite of some serious off-season changes to Leafland management.
But then a funny thing happend.
James Reimer started to play. And play well. Bernier wasn't winning games or getting any goal support. You know, like the stat run support in baseball? James just seemed to hit his stride. But then he got hurt, which opens the door for Bernier.
Right now, Toronto is using Garrett Sparks, who wasn't even alive when the Leafs made it to within a game of the Stanley Cup finals back in 1993. That gives you an idea of his age. So far, so good. 2-1, 2.33, .920, and a shutout to boot. But there's no way Toronto can go with this kid, unless he's the second coming of Andrew Hammond (More on him later).
But Bernier has experience. He played well as a backup with the Los Angeles Kings before Toronto acquired him for Ben Scrivens and Matt Frattin. His time in Los Angeles impressed the Leafs' brass, and made Scrivens expendable. Even if the situation in Toronto is that the Leafs never make him the #1 guy, he's under contract for two years. Maybe he will regain that status with Reimer hurt. Regardless, we have not heard the last about Bernier in Toronto.
Andrew Hammond came out of nowhere to go 20-1-2 last season. He's 2-0-2 this season, proving that last year was no fluke for the Senators' netminder. But really, the job was always Craig Andesons's and last years' playoff sort of proved it. While he is 34, Craig's shown no signs of slowing down. And while his stats aren't eye-popping this season (Yet, but just watch, they will), he's proven himself in stealing games over and over again. Usually, the goalie who "wins" you games is the number one guy, where as the guy that can also stop pucks in the backup. That's the way it goes in the NHL.
Hammond, though, suffered a concussion (Goalies are always at risk for that in a crowded crease) back in mid-November, and might be gone for a time. But his real numbers this year (.930 SV% despite the opposition averaging nearly 36 shots on goal a night) are enough to make me feel like he'll be around a while when he comes around. The Sens third-stringer, Matt O'Connor, has been used just once this season, and it's been all-Anderson even in back-to-back nights. Ottawa is not sold on O'Connor at this point.
References
“Official Site of the National Hockey League” NHL.com. National Hockey League. Web. (07 Dec. 2015). http://www.nhl.com/
Sports Reference LLC. Hockey-Reference.com - Hockey Statistics and History. http://www.hockey-reference.com/. Web. (7 Dec. 2015)
Canadian Press. "Bernier Starts for Marlies,
Zamboni Driver Signed as Backup - Sportsnet.ca." 04 Dec. 2015. http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/bernier-starts-for-marlies-zamboni-driver-signed-as-backup/.
Web. (07 Dec. 2015).
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Anderson And Reimer: Reclaiming Thrones That Shouldn't Have Had Usurpers!
Craig Anderson of the Ottawa Senators and James Reimer of the Toronto Maple Leafs guard the nets for Ontario NHL teams. They each showed up one fine day during the 2010/11 season for struggling franchises, although that is as far as the similarities (Save for one more obvious one) go. Craig is 34. Reimer is 27. Craig has been in the NHL since way back in 2002/03, whereas Reimer's '10/11 season was his rookie campaign.
Their paths have been very different since that 2010/11 season. Reimer looked good that year, 20-10-5, 2.60, .921. It wasn't enough to get him much Vezina, Hart or even Calder consideration. Yet, from that moment, he has build up a strong following in Toronto. Anderson arrived in Ottawa with the Sens out of the playoff picture (Toronto also missed, but just barely, that season). He had lost his previous six games with the Colorado Avalanche. And for this reason, he supposedly wasn't a good goalie. The Senators were struggling. They were just 18-31-9 on February 18th of that season. Anderson played the next night for his Sens debut. In the irony of ironies, he faced the Leafs in Toronto with James Reimer in net. Both goalies got the shutout, but Anderson won the shootout (The last time, as of this writing, that Ottawa and Toronto met, the two goalies were again in net, and again the Sens took it in a shootout). The Sens didn't look back. They went 14-9-1 in their last 24 games, as Anderson was the difference. Ottawa used six goaltenders that season. Five of them had losing records. Craig Anderson went 11-5-1, 2.05, .939 for his new team that season. Ottawa had a long history of good, sometimes great goaltending. But not the kind of netminding that steals you games.
The shootout loss to Ottawa dropped Toronto to just 25-27-7, but the Leafs rallied, going 12-5-4 over their next 21 games, before dropping the last two games of the season in regulation time. Still, that and the coming of Optimus Reimer was a good sign that the franchise's goaltending woes were also over. Toronto didn't get into the playoffs, of course.
Reimer saw his game falter the next season, as did the Leafs' team. Anderson also faltered a bit, but nonetheless, given his first taste of a postseason in an Ottawa uniform, the 30-year old nearly fashioned a stunning upset of the New York Rangers. Craig was nothing short of excellent that postseason.
Reimer has only experienced the postseason once. That was back in 2013, and until the Leafs squandered a two-goal lead late in game seven versus the Boston Bruins, it was all looking up. Meanwhile, Anderson beat the Montreal Canadians almost single-handily.
The next season was a rough one for both franchises and both goalies. Anderson still fashioned a winning record, but saw his goals-against-average rise to 3. Reimer's ended up well over that, 3.16. Worse still, he lost the #1 job to newcomer (From Los Angeles) Jonathan Bernier. Reimer was just 12-16-1. Leaf fans showed impatience with him and vented towards his wife on twitter. Reimer had seemingly had enough. He requested a trade, but later withdrew it. The next season went no better for him, as he again lost 16 games. But (for him) two good things happened that potentially kept him a Leaf. Bernier struggled in his second tour of duty for Toronto. Reimer played 35 games, again lost 16 of them, but did the right things off the ice. With the Maple Leafs (Make Me Laughs, for sure at this point), James kept his composure, and kept a positive attitude. Which was refreshing on the whole. Toronto had one dreary finish to the season. Wholesale changes were in order in the offseason. But James Reimer was still a Leaf to start the 2015/16 season.
Craig Anderson, though, bounced right back in a big way on the ice, while being a strong veteran presence off the ice for the Senators in 2014/15. He finished seventh in the league in save percentage, .923. Can you believe it though, he was almost swept under the rug come playoff time?
The Senators enjoyed a tremendous second half. Alas, our boy was hurt during most of it. Worse, the story in the NHL at this time was Andrew Hammond. Andrew stepped into the spotlight for Ottawa in goal and was nothing short of brilliant. 20-1-2. That was his record. Was this the end of Anderson?
When the Sens fell behind 2-0 in the best-of-seven playoffs vs. the Habs, it looked pretty bad for Ottawa. Anderson was needed. He lost a tough game in overtime to put the Senators on the brink of elimination. But from there, Craig showed the Sens the way. With a brilliant performance over the course of the remaining three games, Anderson got Ottawa all the way back to a game six, finishing the playoffs with a remarkable SV% of .972. Sens fans were left to ponder the outcome of the postseason had Andy been in there from the get-go.
As for Hammond, he's been hurt this season. Oh, he's 2-0-2, so he can't lose. Anderson, however, is continuing to prove he's The Man in Ottawa. In Hammond's absence, all Craig Anderson has done is gone 10-5-3. While his GAA is 2.78 and his SV% is only .916, it doesn't look like (baring injury) that Hammond is needed as Craig continues to win (Actually steal) the big games. A recent stretch has seen him post back-to-back shutouts. Craig isn't giving up his post.
Reimer was looking at the life of a backup. But then this season started, and Bernier was 0-8-1. James was given the ball, and he ran with it. A recent injury has sidelined him. But all James has done is go 7-3-4, 2.07, .934. Is the James Reimer of old back? Time will tell, obviously. Toronto is in a rebuild mode this season, but has new personnel. Most notably, coach Mike Babcock and general manager Lou Lamoriello, both of whom are welcome additions to a Leaf team that seemingly had no direction prior to this year.
It's a rebuilding time for the Toronto Maple Leafs, whereas the Ottawa Senators are building after their stunning playoff appearance of last season. But if the "Battle Of Ontario" is to ever resume (And wasn't it great back in the early 2000s? Wait...It's been that long?) it will need the top-notch goaltending to get the fans' attention. The Masked Marvels of the ice are the last line of defence and often the difference between winning and losing. It's like pitching in baseball. In order to be successful, you have to have it. While Ottawa and Toronto might not think that Craig Anderson or James Reimer can win every game, at this point it's pretty obvious that when their in the crease, the odds of winning go up significantly.
References
“Official Site Of The National Hockey League.” NHL.com, National Hockey League, 1 Dec. 2015, www.nhl.com/.
Sports Reference LLC. Hockey-Reference.com - Hockey Statistics and History. http://www.hockey-reference.com/. Web. 1 Dec. 2015.
Youtube. Web. 1 Dec. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/>.
Their paths have been very different since that 2010/11 season. Reimer looked good that year, 20-10-5, 2.60, .921. It wasn't enough to get him much Vezina, Hart or even Calder consideration. Yet, from that moment, he has build up a strong following in Toronto. Anderson arrived in Ottawa with the Sens out of the playoff picture (Toronto also missed, but just barely, that season). He had lost his previous six games with the Colorado Avalanche. And for this reason, he supposedly wasn't a good goalie. The Senators were struggling. They were just 18-31-9 on February 18th of that season. Anderson played the next night for his Sens debut. In the irony of ironies, he faced the Leafs in Toronto with James Reimer in net. Both goalies got the shutout, but Anderson won the shootout (The last time, as of this writing, that Ottawa and Toronto met, the two goalies were again in net, and again the Sens took it in a shootout). The Sens didn't look back. They went 14-9-1 in their last 24 games, as Anderson was the difference. Ottawa used six goaltenders that season. Five of them had losing records. Craig Anderson went 11-5-1, 2.05, .939 for his new team that season. Ottawa had a long history of good, sometimes great goaltending. But not the kind of netminding that steals you games.
The shootout loss to Ottawa dropped Toronto to just 25-27-7, but the Leafs rallied, going 12-5-4 over their next 21 games, before dropping the last two games of the season in regulation time. Still, that and the coming of Optimus Reimer was a good sign that the franchise's goaltending woes were also over. Toronto didn't get into the playoffs, of course.
Reimer saw his game falter the next season, as did the Leafs' team. Anderson also faltered a bit, but nonetheless, given his first taste of a postseason in an Ottawa uniform, the 30-year old nearly fashioned a stunning upset of the New York Rangers. Craig was nothing short of excellent that postseason.
Reimer has only experienced the postseason once. That was back in 2013, and until the Leafs squandered a two-goal lead late in game seven versus the Boston Bruins, it was all looking up. Meanwhile, Anderson beat the Montreal Canadians almost single-handily.
The next season was a rough one for both franchises and both goalies. Anderson still fashioned a winning record, but saw his goals-against-average rise to 3. Reimer's ended up well over that, 3.16. Worse still, he lost the #1 job to newcomer (From Los Angeles) Jonathan Bernier. Reimer was just 12-16-1. Leaf fans showed impatience with him and vented towards his wife on twitter. Reimer had seemingly had enough. He requested a trade, but later withdrew it. The next season went no better for him, as he again lost 16 games. But (for him) two good things happened that potentially kept him a Leaf. Bernier struggled in his second tour of duty for Toronto. Reimer played 35 games, again lost 16 of them, but did the right things off the ice. With the Maple Leafs (Make Me Laughs, for sure at this point), James kept his composure, and kept a positive attitude. Which was refreshing on the whole. Toronto had one dreary finish to the season. Wholesale changes were in order in the offseason. But James Reimer was still a Leaf to start the 2015/16 season.
Craig Anderson, though, bounced right back in a big way on the ice, while being a strong veteran presence off the ice for the Senators in 2014/15. He finished seventh in the league in save percentage, .923. Can you believe it though, he was almost swept under the rug come playoff time?
The Senators enjoyed a tremendous second half. Alas, our boy was hurt during most of it. Worse, the story in the NHL at this time was Andrew Hammond. Andrew stepped into the spotlight for Ottawa in goal and was nothing short of brilliant. 20-1-2. That was his record. Was this the end of Anderson?
When the Sens fell behind 2-0 in the best-of-seven playoffs vs. the Habs, it looked pretty bad for Ottawa. Anderson was needed. He lost a tough game in overtime to put the Senators on the brink of elimination. But from there, Craig showed the Sens the way. With a brilliant performance over the course of the remaining three games, Anderson got Ottawa all the way back to a game six, finishing the playoffs with a remarkable SV% of .972. Sens fans were left to ponder the outcome of the postseason had Andy been in there from the get-go.
As for Hammond, he's been hurt this season. Oh, he's 2-0-2, so he can't lose. Anderson, however, is continuing to prove he's The Man in Ottawa. In Hammond's absence, all Craig Anderson has done is gone 10-5-3. While his GAA is 2.78 and his SV% is only .916, it doesn't look like (baring injury) that Hammond is needed as Craig continues to win (Actually steal) the big games. A recent stretch has seen him post back-to-back shutouts. Craig isn't giving up his post.
Reimer was looking at the life of a backup. But then this season started, and Bernier was 0-8-1. James was given the ball, and he ran with it. A recent injury has sidelined him. But all James has done is go 7-3-4, 2.07, .934. Is the James Reimer of old back? Time will tell, obviously. Toronto is in a rebuild mode this season, but has new personnel. Most notably, coach Mike Babcock and general manager Lou Lamoriello, both of whom are welcome additions to a Leaf team that seemingly had no direction prior to this year.
It's a rebuilding time for the Toronto Maple Leafs, whereas the Ottawa Senators are building after their stunning playoff appearance of last season. But if the "Battle Of Ontario" is to ever resume (And wasn't it great back in the early 2000s? Wait...It's been that long?) it will need the top-notch goaltending to get the fans' attention. The Masked Marvels of the ice are the last line of defence and often the difference between winning and losing. It's like pitching in baseball. In order to be successful, you have to have it. While Ottawa and Toronto might not think that Craig Anderson or James Reimer can win every game, at this point it's pretty obvious that when their in the crease, the odds of winning go up significantly.
References
“Official Site Of The National Hockey League.” NHL.com, National Hockey League, 1 Dec. 2015, www.nhl.com/.
Sports Reference LLC. Hockey-Reference.com - Hockey Statistics and History. http://www.hockey-reference.com/. Web. 1 Dec. 2015.
Youtube. Web. 1 Dec. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/>.
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
The Four Departing Goalies In The Big East Were Superb!
So the first round of the 2015 NHL playoffs are over. Four teams are moving on in the East, and four more in the west. That makes eight for you counting. My apologizes to those following the Ducks, Jets, Flames, et all, I was more in tuned with Detroit / Tampa Bay, Montreal / Ottawa, New York / Pittsburgh, New York Islanders (From this point on, they'll be playing in Brooklyn) / Washington Capitals. The storylines seemed to offer plenty of intrigue. And while Ottawa, Pittsburgh, the Islanders and Detroit ended up exiting stage left, their goaltenders looked pretty strong.
The focus in Ottawa was, of course, on Andrew Hammond. Just so that you know, his GAA and S% was actually lower then Carey Price in the regular season. But in order to qualify, you must play 25 games. Hammond played 24. So it was The MVP-Caliber Goalie vs. The Hotshot Rookie (But he doesn't qualify for being a rookie). Craig Anderson, always clutch in the playoffs, was not even supposed to be a factor.
But Ottawa went out and lost the first two games, and by just a single goal. With that, Hammond had more losses in the postseason then the regular season. Enough to prove that his bubble had burst perhaps? Maybe. Game three was a must win for Ottawa, and they turned to Anderson, who only played four games since January 21st. An injury and the emergence of Hammond seemed to spell the end for his time in The Nation's Capital. And the Habs won game three, 2-1 in overtime. Montreal was one win away from advancing. But before I started to feel sorry for Anderson, I just had to look at the stats: 49 SOG, 47 SV! Rust? None!
A performance for the ages. Anderson then pitched a shutout in game four as the series went back to Montreal for it's conclusion. But wait! Anderson had another ace up his sleeve. A dazzling 45-save performance sent it back to Ottawa for game six. It was hard not to be amazed by this, but Anderson has a habit of doing this in the postseason. It took a 43-save performance by Carey Price to beat Anderson and Ottawa in game six, but Montreal only scored once on Craig.
The Sens season was over. Obviously, management has some thinking to do about Hammond and Anderson. Robin Lehner is also there. My money is on Anderson staying. Here's something to consider: In the 2015 postseason, he posted a 0.97 GAA and .972 S%!
Career wise, it's been much of the same, as Anderson has a .933 S% and 2.35 GAA. The guy is just born to play in the postseason. No way is Ottawa parting ways with that kind of postseason performance savy!
The Rangers needed just five games to take out Sid and co. in the first round. The Pens had injuries, of course. And it was enough to turn this potentially-great seven games, into a short, five-game affair. But this one had some goaltending!
Marc Andre Fleury. It's just human, isn't it, to blame him? I mean Sidney Crosby (2 goals and 4 points) and Malkin (0 points) aren't going to get blamed, are they? No way, no how. Now, I didn't think Crosby was too bad in this playoffs. I've seen him play better. But I've also seen him play worse (Think 2014). But back to Fleury. What stat proves all his detractors right? His poor S%, right? Never mind that this year he topped everyone, Price included, in shutouts with 10. Never mind he posted a .933 S% in the 2008 postseason, right? But I know, that save percentage never really been that good. And it needs to be in the postseason. Yet, his GAA is usually pretty good in the playoffs, right? He's had years of 1.97, 2.52, plus 2.40 in 2014 and 2.12 in these playoffs. It just seems like poor Marc never gets the goal support he needs, eh? Where are Sid and Evgeni when you need them? Their offence, as well as their teammates, just seemed to hit a wall by the name of Henrik Lundqvist the last two postseasons.
True enough. The Pens lost all four games, 2-1. They won game two. Fleury gave up three goals, but one was in the waning seconds and Pittsburgh was up 4-2. Crosby got two goals. But Pittsburgh proceeded to lose three straight games, two of which were in OT (Including the deciding game five). So, actually, Fleury allowed a grand total of one goal through sixty minutes of hockey in two of the five games, while posting a S% of .927 throughout that and OT. Those kind of numbers, and his S% of .920 in the regular season, might be a sign of Fleury (All of 30 years and with over 300 wins to his name already) maturing into one of the games' better goalies. Will he ever be elite? We will have to wait and see.
One of Fleury's postseason losses was back in 2010. You might recall it was to Montreal, with Jaroslav Halak in goal. They also topped Washington that year, the round before. Halak almost seemed like a forgotten playoff goalie. The kind that steal the show, as well as a few games. Traded to St. Louis, he had some fine years, but didn't get much playoff action. Which is odd considering that's what St. Louis got him for. When he played in the regular season, he was good. Given a chance to play in the playoffs in 2012, he posted a 1.73 GAA and .973 S% in two games. But that's just that, two games. Was what he did in 2010 all a fluke? Would he ever get a chance to prove himself again? He was there, in 2014/15 with Jonathan Tavares and company. What did he do?
The Islanders, as mentioned before, were playing out their last season in the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, and Halak was there for the ride. All he did was set a franchise record for wins in a single season with 38 in only 59 games. I guess the big problem was his low S%, just .917. Ah, so just like Fleury, he shouldn't even been in-between the pipes in the playoffs, right? Even his GAA (2.43) seemed to prove it was all Tavares and teammates doing the job for him in those 38 wins. What would another crack at Ovie mean? Discomfort, Down-to-earth? Distaster?
What it meant was a seven-game defeat. But, Halak kept 'em in it. He allowed four goals in game two, and another five in game five, but those were Jaro's only bad games. In games one and three, he stopped 24 of 25 shots for the win. In game six, a must win with the Islanders down 3-2, Jaroslav was even better, stopping 38 of 39 Washington shots in huge win. And, in the finale, Halak allowed just two goals while New York could only pot one. The future looks bright for Halak. He also has 182 regular season wins to his name already (Coincidentally, so does Anderson) and 30 playoff games with a .924 S% under his belt. That number is actually better, if you throw away his .889 mark from back in 2008 with the Habs. Halak has been money in the playoffs ever since, and I think you can count on that every postseason from here on in.
Petr Mrazek for Detroit, is the kid among these men. He's just 23 and played in his first game seven about an hour or so ago. It was a tough one, as he took a 2-0 loss to Ben Bishop and the Lightning. For a while, this kid was steering Detroit to an upset. Mzarek was the Andrew Hammond of the playoffs. But in the regular season, he appeared in just five more games then Hammond (29) and won 16 of them. But his .918 S% did not bode well for the postseason. But Detroit, can make any goalie look good, right?
But Mrazek was good, and made Detroit look that way in game one. And he made Tampa Bay look human. He stopped 44 of 46 shots on goal right there in Tampa as Detroit stole game one. In game three, he recorded his first playoff shutout. With things all even at two games for game five (Again in Tampa), Petr stepped up again. Another shutout. And now just one win away!
Detroit, alas, never got it. Mzarek was ordinary in game six (four goals on twenty-seven shots) and not quite up for the task in game seven. He did, however, stop 15 of 16 SOG, only to lose 2-0 (Tampa got an ENG to seal the deal) in the final game.
A tough way to lose, but the kid showed so much poise. Two shutouts in his first playoff series. Taking Tampa to game seven? I say we give Petr the benefit of the doubt. Detroit has a bright future with this kid.
The playoffs are a tough time for all. Scores shrink. Whistles are put away by the men in black and white. Pressure builds. Emotions boil over. Sanity is tested. The goalies seem to suffer the most, because that next goal might be the fatal one. A tired, old veteran who was written off, an under-appreciated tender lost in the mix of superstars, a forgotten playoff hero of some years past. And a promising rookie. Each was in a tough situation with the postseason spotlight shining right on them. And while their teams may have come up a goal or two short too many times, these masked marvels came through when the playoff pressure was there.
References
http://www.nhl.com/
http://www.hockey-reference.com
http://www.puckrant.com/index.php/component/k2/item/325-the-10-biggest-scapegoats-in-the-nhl
http://www.newsday.com/sports/hockey/islanders/islanders-have-confidence-in-jaroslav-halak-1.10335868
The focus in Ottawa was, of course, on Andrew Hammond. Just so that you know, his GAA and S% was actually lower then Carey Price in the regular season. But in order to qualify, you must play 25 games. Hammond played 24. So it was The MVP-Caliber Goalie vs. The Hotshot Rookie (But he doesn't qualify for being a rookie). Craig Anderson, always clutch in the playoffs, was not even supposed to be a factor.
But Ottawa went out and lost the first two games, and by just a single goal. With that, Hammond had more losses in the postseason then the regular season. Enough to prove that his bubble had burst perhaps? Maybe. Game three was a must win for Ottawa, and they turned to Anderson, who only played four games since January 21st. An injury and the emergence of Hammond seemed to spell the end for his time in The Nation's Capital. And the Habs won game three, 2-1 in overtime. Montreal was one win away from advancing. But before I started to feel sorry for Anderson, I just had to look at the stats: 49 SOG, 47 SV! Rust? None!
A performance for the ages. Anderson then pitched a shutout in game four as the series went back to Montreal for it's conclusion. But wait! Anderson had another ace up his sleeve. A dazzling 45-save performance sent it back to Ottawa for game six. It was hard not to be amazed by this, but Anderson has a habit of doing this in the postseason. It took a 43-save performance by Carey Price to beat Anderson and Ottawa in game six, but Montreal only scored once on Craig.
The Sens season was over. Obviously, management has some thinking to do about Hammond and Anderson. Robin Lehner is also there. My money is on Anderson staying. Here's something to consider: In the 2015 postseason, he posted a 0.97 GAA and .972 S%!
Career wise, it's been much of the same, as Anderson has a .933 S% and 2.35 GAA. The guy is just born to play in the postseason. No way is Ottawa parting ways with that kind of postseason performance savy!
The Rangers needed just five games to take out Sid and co. in the first round. The Pens had injuries, of course. And it was enough to turn this potentially-great seven games, into a short, five-game affair. But this one had some goaltending!
Marc Andre Fleury. It's just human, isn't it, to blame him? I mean Sidney Crosby (2 goals and 4 points) and Malkin (0 points) aren't going to get blamed, are they? No way, no how. Now, I didn't think Crosby was too bad in this playoffs. I've seen him play better. But I've also seen him play worse (Think 2014). But back to Fleury. What stat proves all his detractors right? His poor S%, right? Never mind that this year he topped everyone, Price included, in shutouts with 10. Never mind he posted a .933 S% in the 2008 postseason, right? But I know, that save percentage never really been that good. And it needs to be in the postseason. Yet, his GAA is usually pretty good in the playoffs, right? He's had years of 1.97, 2.52, plus 2.40 in 2014 and 2.12 in these playoffs. It just seems like poor Marc never gets the goal support he needs, eh? Where are Sid and Evgeni when you need them? Their offence, as well as their teammates, just seemed to hit a wall by the name of Henrik Lundqvist the last two postseasons.
True enough. The Pens lost all four games, 2-1. They won game two. Fleury gave up three goals, but one was in the waning seconds and Pittsburgh was up 4-2. Crosby got two goals. But Pittsburgh proceeded to lose three straight games, two of which were in OT (Including the deciding game five). So, actually, Fleury allowed a grand total of one goal through sixty minutes of hockey in two of the five games, while posting a S% of .927 throughout that and OT. Those kind of numbers, and his S% of .920 in the regular season, might be a sign of Fleury (All of 30 years and with over 300 wins to his name already) maturing into one of the games' better goalies. Will he ever be elite? We will have to wait and see.
One of Fleury's postseason losses was back in 2010. You might recall it was to Montreal, with Jaroslav Halak in goal. They also topped Washington that year, the round before. Halak almost seemed like a forgotten playoff goalie. The kind that steal the show, as well as a few games. Traded to St. Louis, he had some fine years, but didn't get much playoff action. Which is odd considering that's what St. Louis got him for. When he played in the regular season, he was good. Given a chance to play in the playoffs in 2012, he posted a 1.73 GAA and .973 S% in two games. But that's just that, two games. Was what he did in 2010 all a fluke? Would he ever get a chance to prove himself again? He was there, in 2014/15 with Jonathan Tavares and company. What did he do?
The Islanders, as mentioned before, were playing out their last season in the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, and Halak was there for the ride. All he did was set a franchise record for wins in a single season with 38 in only 59 games. I guess the big problem was his low S%, just .917. Ah, so just like Fleury, he shouldn't even been in-between the pipes in the playoffs, right? Even his GAA (2.43) seemed to prove it was all Tavares and teammates doing the job for him in those 38 wins. What would another crack at Ovie mean? Discomfort, Down-to-earth? Distaster?
What it meant was a seven-game defeat. But, Halak kept 'em in it. He allowed four goals in game two, and another five in game five, but those were Jaro's only bad games. In games one and three, he stopped 24 of 25 shots for the win. In game six, a must win with the Islanders down 3-2, Jaroslav was even better, stopping 38 of 39 Washington shots in huge win. And, in the finale, Halak allowed just two goals while New York could only pot one. The future looks bright for Halak. He also has 182 regular season wins to his name already (Coincidentally, so does Anderson) and 30 playoff games with a .924 S% under his belt. That number is actually better, if you throw away his .889 mark from back in 2008 with the Habs. Halak has been money in the playoffs ever since, and I think you can count on that every postseason from here on in.
Petr Mrazek for Detroit, is the kid among these men. He's just 23 and played in his first game seven about an hour or so ago. It was a tough one, as he took a 2-0 loss to Ben Bishop and the Lightning. For a while, this kid was steering Detroit to an upset. Mzarek was the Andrew Hammond of the playoffs. But in the regular season, he appeared in just five more games then Hammond (29) and won 16 of them. But his .918 S% did not bode well for the postseason. But Detroit, can make any goalie look good, right?
But Mrazek was good, and made Detroit look that way in game one. And he made Tampa Bay look human. He stopped 44 of 46 shots on goal right there in Tampa as Detroit stole game one. In game three, he recorded his first playoff shutout. With things all even at two games for game five (Again in Tampa), Petr stepped up again. Another shutout. And now just one win away!
Detroit, alas, never got it. Mzarek was ordinary in game six (four goals on twenty-seven shots) and not quite up for the task in game seven. He did, however, stop 15 of 16 SOG, only to lose 2-0 (Tampa got an ENG to seal the deal) in the final game.
A tough way to lose, but the kid showed so much poise. Two shutouts in his first playoff series. Taking Tampa to game seven? I say we give Petr the benefit of the doubt. Detroit has a bright future with this kid.
The playoffs are a tough time for all. Scores shrink. Whistles are put away by the men in black and white. Pressure builds. Emotions boil over. Sanity is tested. The goalies seem to suffer the most, because that next goal might be the fatal one. A tired, old veteran who was written off, an under-appreciated tender lost in the mix of superstars, a forgotten playoff hero of some years past. And a promising rookie. Each was in a tough situation with the postseason spotlight shining right on them. And while their teams may have come up a goal or two short too many times, these masked marvels came through when the playoff pressure was there.
References
http://www.nhl.com/
http://www.hockey-reference.com
http://www.puckrant.com/index.php/component/k2/item/325-the-10-biggest-scapegoats-in-the-nhl
http://www.newsday.com/sports/hockey/islanders/islanders-have-confidence-in-jaroslav-halak-1.10335868
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Hammond And Anderson: How The Sens Should Handle This
I'm going to start by not saying, "Goaltender Controversy", here. That dates back decades to situations where there was really not any. From what I've read, Bower and Sawchuck got along just fine. Tony Espsoito has said he wanted to play game eighth in 1972 vs. USSR, but was fine with Ken Dryden taking the duties. We all know how that ended, right? All's Well That Ends Well.
Here now, in Ottawa, where the Senators looked dead, comes an interesting situation. Ottawa looked out of the playoff picture back on February 7th of this year. They were 20-22-9, and on a three-game losing streak. It was time to look forward to next season. Their starting goalie, Craig Anderson, had been hurt in a 4-3 win over Toronto on January 21st, and things were going downhill fast.
Ottawa had actually started off strong this season. It seems like a distant, forgotten time, but the Senators started out 9-5-4 after finishing strong the year before that. The team, however, was under a lot of pressure, because it had missed the playoffs the year before. Ottawa, you see, looked to be on the rise after making the playoffs in 2011/12 and winning a round for good measure the next season. Missing out on the spring in 2013/14 seem to spell the end for this edition.
When the team hit a slump right after their strong start, they fired coach Paul MacLean. To be honest with you, he's a coach I've always liked. But it appeared that he'd lost control of the players, who seemed to master the fine art of "finding a way to lose". Indeed, Ottawa was losing games by a goal or two. They were right there in the game, and then the wheels came off the chariot, usually in the third period.
Even so, this team had talent. Erik Karlsson is one of the best defenceman in the league, and happends to be on pace for the most goals he's ever scored in one season. Bobby Ryan and Kyle Turris are on pace for over 20 themselves. Mark Stone is, too. Mike Hoffman looks like a Calder winner with 24 goals already. And he's got a bright future. The Senators have nine players in double-digits in goals already. Okay, goal-scoring is not the team's problem. Although they are just at league average, with that kind of spread offence, they have more than enough players to keep them in the games they play. But that puts pressure on the goalies.
The goalies, pre-Hammond were Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner. Anderson has actually played quite well this year. He's in the top ten in save percentage despite a win-one, lose-one record. But you always have to look beyond his stats to tell the real story. Thousands of times, he has saves would turn the game around for Ottawa. And not just this season, but ever since he arrived back in 2010/11. He's been a winner everywhere he's played. And he also has experience.
Lehner is still out with a concussion, but despite his not-so-great numbers, he's looked strong at times. I gotta think he'll be the odd-man out in this situation when he returns. He has yet to really break out as the Senators have hoped. And, if Hammond continues his strong play, he might be out of Ottawa.
The Senators have had other injuries, which makes Hammond's streak look stronger. Chris Neil has been out since mid-February with a broken thumb. Clarke MacArthur was concussed with Lehner in their collision two days later on the 16th of February. Zack Smith has not played since December.
Anderson is back injured, and Hammond has run his streak to 12-0-1 with a 6-4 win over Boston. Alas, his two-or-less-goals allowed in starts streak has come to an end and Fran Brimsek's record looks save for good. But there is still twelve games to play and Ottawa still is a point back. They've made it back and now have to press onwards. Hammond is still a rookie, and the stress that would be placed on him from having to play every game from here on in would be more than he could handle, in all likelihood.
Funny, Craig Anderson was only 12-9-2 two seasons ago. Now look at Hammond's record, his 1.55 GAA and his .950 S%. Anderson added a 1.69 GAA and .941 S%. Both marks led the NHL in 2012/13, and this season has been very good. Hammond will take a lot from this streak of his, but what will he do when things stop going his way? You can't expect a rookie to take the full load, especially if the Sens make the playoff. And before they get there? The Ottawa Senators will need someone to pick up the slack once Hammond comes down to earth. Anderson needs to play. The Senators will not make the playoffs if he doesn't!
Here now, in Ottawa, where the Senators looked dead, comes an interesting situation. Ottawa looked out of the playoff picture back on February 7th of this year. They were 20-22-9, and on a three-game losing streak. It was time to look forward to next season. Their starting goalie, Craig Anderson, had been hurt in a 4-3 win over Toronto on January 21st, and things were going downhill fast.
Ottawa had actually started off strong this season. It seems like a distant, forgotten time, but the Senators started out 9-5-4 after finishing strong the year before that. The team, however, was under a lot of pressure, because it had missed the playoffs the year before. Ottawa, you see, looked to be on the rise after making the playoffs in 2011/12 and winning a round for good measure the next season. Missing out on the spring in 2013/14 seem to spell the end for this edition.
When the team hit a slump right after their strong start, they fired coach Paul MacLean. To be honest with you, he's a coach I've always liked. But it appeared that he'd lost control of the players, who seemed to master the fine art of "finding a way to lose". Indeed, Ottawa was losing games by a goal or two. They were right there in the game, and then the wheels came off the chariot, usually in the third period.
Even so, this team had talent. Erik Karlsson is one of the best defenceman in the league, and happends to be on pace for the most goals he's ever scored in one season. Bobby Ryan and Kyle Turris are on pace for over 20 themselves. Mark Stone is, too. Mike Hoffman looks like a Calder winner with 24 goals already. And he's got a bright future. The Senators have nine players in double-digits in goals already. Okay, goal-scoring is not the team's problem. Although they are just at league average, with that kind of spread offence, they have more than enough players to keep them in the games they play. But that puts pressure on the goalies.
The goalies, pre-Hammond were Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner. Anderson has actually played quite well this year. He's in the top ten in save percentage despite a win-one, lose-one record. But you always have to look beyond his stats to tell the real story. Thousands of times, he has saves would turn the game around for Ottawa. And not just this season, but ever since he arrived back in 2010/11. He's been a winner everywhere he's played. And he also has experience.
Lehner is still out with a concussion, but despite his not-so-great numbers, he's looked strong at times. I gotta think he'll be the odd-man out in this situation when he returns. He has yet to really break out as the Senators have hoped. And, if Hammond continues his strong play, he might be out of Ottawa.
The Senators have had other injuries, which makes Hammond's streak look stronger. Chris Neil has been out since mid-February with a broken thumb. Clarke MacArthur was concussed with Lehner in their collision two days later on the 16th of February. Zack Smith has not played since December.
Anderson is back injured, and Hammond has run his streak to 12-0-1 with a 6-4 win over Boston. Alas, his two-or-less-goals allowed in starts streak has come to an end and Fran Brimsek's record looks save for good. But there is still twelve games to play and Ottawa still is a point back. They've made it back and now have to press onwards. Hammond is still a rookie, and the stress that would be placed on him from having to play every game from here on in would be more than he could handle, in all likelihood.
Funny, Craig Anderson was only 12-9-2 two seasons ago. Now look at Hammond's record, his 1.55 GAA and his .950 S%. Anderson added a 1.69 GAA and .941 S%. Both marks led the NHL in 2012/13, and this season has been very good. Hammond will take a lot from this streak of his, but what will he do when things stop going his way? You can't expect a rookie to take the full load, especially if the Sens make the playoff. And before they get there? The Ottawa Senators will need someone to pick up the slack once Hammond comes down to earth. Anderson needs to play. The Senators will not make the playoffs if he doesn't!
References
"Official Site of the National Hockey League” | NHL.com.
National Hockey League. Web. 19 Mar. 2015. <https://www.nhl.com>
Sports Reference LLC. "(title of a particular
page or blank for general citation)." Hockey-Reference.com - Hockey
Statistics and History. Web. http://www.hockey-reference.com/. Web. 19 Mar. 2015
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
How The Pesky Senators Are Getting It Done!
The Senators are decimated by injuries this season.
1.49 GAA
They keep on winning.
How?
Goaltending!
The Sens are just finding ways to, “get it done”, even if
it’s the hard way. A huge portion of their recent wins has been to amazing
goaltending. Through March 24th, Ottawa is 17-9-6.
And even there the Sens have had to rely on their backup,
Ben Bishop, and even a surprising call up, Robin Lehner.
But take a look at the numbers here (as of March 25, 2013):
Anderson
15 GP
8 W
4 L
2 O
2 SO1.49 GAA
.952 S%
Bishop
10 GP
6 W
4 L
0 O
0 SO
2.62 GAA
.921 S%
Lehner
8 GP
3 W
1 L
4 O
0 SO
2.05 GAA
.940 S%
Okay, Anderson is leading the league in GAA and S%, but has
been sidelined since Feb 21, with a sprained right ankle. Too bad, since he
was working on his third shutout on the season (Anderson is tied with 11 other
goaltenders with 2 shutouts).
Bishop and Lehner have been on their own since.
But what performances on their part.
Bishop may have a high GAA, but his S% is good enough for 8th.
You really have to hand it to him, but in doing so you have to look up at him,
as at 6’7, he is the tallest goaltender in the NHL, ever!
Lehner has been jinxed by shootout losses, plus an overtime
loss to the Bruins. But even there, he is tied for 5th with Carey
Price, Jimmy Howard and Ryan Miller with 4. That is, most OT and shootout
losses.
Having played just 8 games so far (as of March 24th)
he is not eligible for a spot among the leaders in S%. Although, with Anderson
out, he will soon have enough games.
But notice that, the .940 S% is also the Ottawa Senator’s
team S%. Yeah, that’s right, 3 different goalies, giving you a chance to win.
Let’s put the .940 number into perspective. Imagine, with
all those injures, the Sens are outshot 35 to, whatever:
.94 * 35 = 32.9
Yeah, that’s pretty much just two goals allowed, even if you
give up 35 shots.
Oh, yeah, what about that stat I came up with 2 posts ago?
Tolgbats?
Anderson has one in all 15 games he’s played this year,
including the game he left, 2/21/13.
Bishop has 9 in the games he’s been eligible for (9). In his
other appearance, in relief of Anderson (2/21/13 against the Rangers) he ended
up winning the game.
Lehner (I should say at this point that he is really short compared to Bishop. Robin is
only 6’4) has 8 in all 8 games played.
References
Sports Reference LLC. Hockey-Reference.com
- Hockey Statistics and History. Web. http://www.hockey-reference.com/.
Web. 26 Mar. 2103.
References
Official Site of the National Hockey League | NHL.com.
National Hockey League. Web. 26 Mar. 2103. <https://www.nhl.com>.
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