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Meet the West's
postseason goalies
By Doug Ward
NHL.com correspondent
Apr. 19, 2006
Whichever team combines mistake-free hockey with timely goal-scoring and hot goaltending stands to win big in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
At this time of year, the clich?s are tired, but true. None more so than the old saw about the team with the hot goaltender advancing. Here then, is a brief look at the men between the pipes for the eight Western Conference playoff teams, each with the opportunity take their respective teams on a long run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs:
Manny Legace, Detroit -- Legace turned in career highs in games played (52), wins (37) and shutouts (7) in leading the Wings to the Presidents' Trophy. Legace is 2-2 with a 2.33 goals-against average and .895 save percentage in five previous playoff appearances, and a strong postseason performance might enable the former Long Beach and Las Vegas goalie to shed his journeyman label once and for all.
Doug Ward
Doug Ward knows his way around the hockey rink and the baseball diamond. He is the Anaheim Angels' director of publications and is in his second season chronicling the hockey happenings in the Western Conference for NHL.com.
Related Links:
* Eastern Conference notebook
* West Notes: Apr. 12, 2006
* West Notes: Mar. 29, 2005
* West Notes: Mar. 22, 2006
* West Notes: Mar. 15, 2006
* West Notes: Mar. 8, 2006
* Complete West Notes archive
Marty Turco, Dallas -- The 30-year-old University of Michigan product had another banner year: his 41 wins were second in the league, and his 2.55 GAA ranked eighth. He was the NHL's best goaltender on shootouts. Turco, however, has never been able to get his regular-season success to carry over into the playoffs, where he is just 7-10 with a .900 save percentage.
Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary -- A candidate for both the Vezina and Hart Trophies, Kiprusoff's presence in net was a big part of the Flames boasting the NHL's stingiest defense (2.35 per game). Kiprusoff led the league in GAA (2.07) while his 42 wins were second to Martin Brodeur for most in the league. He gives the Flames a legitimate shot at going deep into the playoffs.
Chris Mason, Nashville -- With Tomas Vokoun sidelined by a blood disorder, Mason got an opportunity in Nashville and, thus far, has made the most of it. The 29-year-old career minor leaguer, who has played in just 43 NHL games, went 5-0-0 with a .967 save percentage and 0.79 GAA in his last five regular season games, giving the Preds hope that Chris Mason will be the tournament's George Mason.
Vesa Toskala, San Jose -- Wrestled the job away from Evgeni Nabokov and finished the season with a 23-7-4 record for the fast-closing Sharks. The 28-year-old native of Tampere, Finland, however, has yet to appear in a Stanley Cup game, meaning Nabokov could still play an important role at some point.
J.S. Giguere, Anaheim -- In going 15-6 with a 1.62 GAA to lead the Ducks to the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals and take home the Conn Smythe Trophy, Giguere has shown he knows how to close. Giguere turned in a solid season, posting a 30-15-11 record. This is his first return trip to the playoffs since his coming out party three years ago, and the Ducks hope 2003 will prove to be Giguere's standard level of postseason play.
Jose Theodore, Colorado -- For years, the Avs always had a built-in advantage in net with Patrick Roy, the same way John Elway gave the city's football team an edge in big-time games. Theodore is a former MVP in Montreal, but whether he's Bubby Brister or Jake Plummer in Denver remains to be seen. In five regular season games with Colorado, Theodore was a disappointing 1-3-1, with a .887 save percentage.
Dwayne Roloson, Edmonton -- After being obtained from Minnesota, Roloson went 8-7-4 with a .905 save percentage and 2.42 GAA north of the border. Roloson has a 6-7 record in Stanley Cup play and an unimpressive .895 save percentage, but finished the regular season strong with a 1-1-0 record and 1.52 GAA in his last two outings.
postseason goalies
By Doug Ward
NHL.com correspondent
Apr. 19, 2006
Whichever team combines mistake-free hockey with timely goal-scoring and hot goaltending stands to win big in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
At this time of year, the clich?s are tired, but true. None more so than the old saw about the team with the hot goaltender advancing. Here then, is a brief look at the men between the pipes for the eight Western Conference playoff teams, each with the opportunity take their respective teams on a long run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs:
Manny Legace, Detroit -- Legace turned in career highs in games played (52), wins (37) and shutouts (7) in leading the Wings to the Presidents' Trophy. Legace is 2-2 with a 2.33 goals-against average and .895 save percentage in five previous playoff appearances, and a strong postseason performance might enable the former Long Beach and Las Vegas goalie to shed his journeyman label once and for all.
Doug Ward
Doug Ward knows his way around the hockey rink and the baseball diamond. He is the Anaheim Angels' director of publications and is in his second season chronicling the hockey happenings in the Western Conference for NHL.com.
Related Links:
* Eastern Conference notebook
* West Notes: Apr. 12, 2006
* West Notes: Mar. 29, 2005
* West Notes: Mar. 22, 2006
* West Notes: Mar. 15, 2006
* West Notes: Mar. 8, 2006
* Complete West Notes archive
Marty Turco, Dallas -- The 30-year-old University of Michigan product had another banner year: his 41 wins were second in the league, and his 2.55 GAA ranked eighth. He was the NHL's best goaltender on shootouts. Turco, however, has never been able to get his regular-season success to carry over into the playoffs, where he is just 7-10 with a .900 save percentage.
Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary -- A candidate for both the Vezina and Hart Trophies, Kiprusoff's presence in net was a big part of the Flames boasting the NHL's stingiest defense (2.35 per game). Kiprusoff led the league in GAA (2.07) while his 42 wins were second to Martin Brodeur for most in the league. He gives the Flames a legitimate shot at going deep into the playoffs.
Chris Mason, Nashville -- With Tomas Vokoun sidelined by a blood disorder, Mason got an opportunity in Nashville and, thus far, has made the most of it. The 29-year-old career minor leaguer, who has played in just 43 NHL games, went 5-0-0 with a .967 save percentage and 0.79 GAA in his last five regular season games, giving the Preds hope that Chris Mason will be the tournament's George Mason.
Vesa Toskala, San Jose -- Wrestled the job away from Evgeni Nabokov and finished the season with a 23-7-4 record for the fast-closing Sharks. The 28-year-old native of Tampere, Finland, however, has yet to appear in a Stanley Cup game, meaning Nabokov could still play an important role at some point.
J.S. Giguere, Anaheim -- In going 15-6 with a 1.62 GAA to lead the Ducks to the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals and take home the Conn Smythe Trophy, Giguere has shown he knows how to close. Giguere turned in a solid season, posting a 30-15-11 record. This is his first return trip to the playoffs since his coming out party three years ago, and the Ducks hope 2003 will prove to be Giguere's standard level of postseason play.
Jose Theodore, Colorado -- For years, the Avs always had a built-in advantage in net with Patrick Roy, the same way John Elway gave the city's football team an edge in big-time games. Theodore is a former MVP in Montreal, but whether he's Bubby Brister or Jake Plummer in Denver remains to be seen. In five regular season games with Colorado, Theodore was a disappointing 1-3-1, with a .887 save percentage.
Dwayne Roloson, Edmonton -- After being obtained from Minnesota, Roloson went 8-7-4 with a .905 save percentage and 2.42 GAA north of the border. Roloson has a 6-7 record in Stanley Cup play and an unimpressive .895 save percentage, but finished the regular season strong with a 1-1-0 record and 1.52 GAA in his last two outings.
