THN.com Playoff Blog: Goaltending underlying problem for Avs, Sens
Jose Theodore made 28 saves Friday, but let in a goal late in the third, and in overtime. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
Ken Campbell
2008-04-12 01:32:44
As you go through your playoff reading this morning, you’re likely going to come across reams of glittering prose about the likes of Martin Gerber and Jose Theodore and their valiant efforts in this year’s post-season.
Not buying it. Not buying it for a second.
The Ottawa Senators went home last night down two games to the Pittsburgh Penguins and with their heads hung low because of their goaltending. The Colorado Avalanche, meanwhile, blew an opportunity to take a stranglehold on their first-round series with the Minnesota Wild because of goaltending.
For the Senators and Gerber, it was rebound control. For the Avalanche and Theodore, it was an inability to hold a lead in the third period for the second consecutive game.
One of the enduring myths of the playoffs is that a team needs superhuman goaltending in order to win the Stanley Cup. Sometimes that’s true, but most of the time, it’s not. What a team actually needs in order to win is goaltending that doesn’t lose games; and the Senators and Avalanche didn’t get that Friday night.
It seems almost surreal, considering the fact Gerber set a Senators record for saves in a playoff game with 49 and Theodore rebounded from a career that looked on life support to lead Colorado to victory in Game 1.
But the fact remains that both the Senators and Avalanche were let down by their goaltenders in a big way.
That’s because Ryan Malone’s game-winner for the Penguins with 1:02 remaining in the third period should never have happened. And it wouldn’t have if Gerber had simply displayed even a slight modicum of rebound control on the play. Had he either directed the puck to the corner or simply smothered it to force a faceoff, Malone would not have been in a position to drive a dagger in the hearts of the Senators with a wraparound goal.
That goal almost certainly lost the series for the Senators. Even though they had been badly outshot and outplayed, the Senators had willed themselves back into the game with a dramatic comeback, capped by a goal by the fourth line, the kind of goal that usually lifts a team to greater heights.
But it was all ruined by a terrible goal allowed by Gerber. In the end, it didn’t matter that he stopped almost 50 shots and played brilliantly because he failed to stop the most important one at the most important time of the game. And he should have stopped it, plain and simple.
The same goes for Theodore, who allowed two third period goals to blow a lead for the second time this series. Neither of the goals was a very good one, but Mikko Koivu’s tally from just inside the blueline to give the Wild the lead with 1:51 remaining had a definitively bad smell to it.
Given the Senators have so many key injuries and so much trouble scoring, Gerber is simply going to have to be even better for Ottawa to have any hope of getting back into this series. And for the Avalanche to win what has become a surprisingly entertaining series, Theodore is going to have to come to grips with the concept that a hockey game is not over after the first 40 minutes.
THN.com's Playoff Blogs, featuring analysis and opinion on the action from the night before, with insight on what happened and what it all means going forward, will appear daily throughout the NHL playoffs. Read more entries HERE.
Ken Campbell is a senior writer for The Hockey News and a regular contributor to THN.com. His blog appears Tuesdays and Fridays and his column, Campbell's Cuts, appears Mondays.
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Dino (Posted 2008-04-14 10:45:50)
so let me get this straight...Gerber "ruined" it by allowing that goal? And not the team around him that allowed 50 shots?
Ottawa have been shut out six times in the last 22 games. You're fixating on the wrong end of the ice.
James Finney (Posted 2008-04-12 21:05:31)
I hate the Penguins, and I like the Sens, but the Sens are just plain getting outplayed offensively, defensively, and in net. It's almost as ridiculous as the Bruins-Montreal series.
Joe S (Posted 2008-04-12 19:30:25)
Theodore has played very well for the Avs this post season. And while a couple of the goals could have been saved, the overall played has been superb. How can you discredit a goalie for allowing a goal in overtime in a game that has a total of 5 goals when other goalies are giving up 4-5 goals a piece. Winning hockey games takes a whole team and the fact that you say goalies in the post season don't have to be superhuman to win and then you blame Gerber and Theodore for their teams losses doesn't line up.
Daniele Gaiotti (Posted 2008-04-12 15:20:17)
This is ridiculous these players have been goalies have been a strength for their teams Theodore had to make some great saves to keep his team in it first two periods of game 1 and during game 2 played great with the last two goals being unlucky with one taking a dip in mid-air and the other going of his defense mans skate
Gerber's been the only thing keeping both those game from being blowouts as his team played terribly in front of him
Unless these goalies get shutouts everygame there's not much more the can do
Jim M (Posted 2008-04-12 14:07:06)
"Gerber is simply going to have to be even better for Ottawa to have any hope of getting back into this series"....what? How do you improve on 50 saves? Ken, you contradict yourself like 3 times by along the lines of "Gerber made a surreal 50 saves...but he was terrible", and it wasnt Gerber not "displayed even a slight modicum of rebound control on the play" that resulted in the winning goal...it was Lapointe hitting Ruutu in the face with his stick with only a minute left.
I also thought Theodore has been solid in the series. This article is probably one of the most ridiculous I have read.
Ken D (Posted 2008-04-12 12:28:16)
If all other articles go on about the valiant efforts of Gerber and Theodore, then what makes your rant to the opposite valid. You're the only one that believes what you say, so maybe you should cease making such idiotic comments. In case you forgot, or perhaps never knew, Theodore (of no talent) stopped Minnesota in game one. And as far as bad goals, Backstrom didn't look so great on Hejduks tying goal. The overtime winner by that fearsome Carney was a ping pong goal that looked like it was kicked in. So Ken Campbell, senior editor (or hockey dinosaur) maybe you should start covering womens swimming or something else you may or may not know something about. If I hear one more useless article from you, I will contact THN and advise that I will no longer support their mag .
Mark Garcia (Posted 2008-04-12 12:06:01)
I read The Hockey News almost daily, and enjoy reading everyone's columns (especially Adam's) except for Ken Cambell. How in the world can you say that Theodore and Gerber were to blame for their teams' loses? I think you should watch more hockey before you write anymore columns. I think this blog was almost as ridiculous as the blog in which you said Holland should be the new GM of the Maple Leafs. Yeah, like Detroit would ever part with the best general manager in hockey, and Holland would sure want to go from one of the best hockey clubs to one of the worst. Good call.
Sean (Posted 2008-04-12 12:04:38)
Mr. Campbell i cant agree with a single statement that you wrote because if you watched the games I believe Gerber had 50 shots and Theodore on the other hand was just solid in his performance. Goaltending is not the issue for these teams the issue is defense play for the Avs and for the Sens it's Dany Heatly and Jason Spezza not stepping up there game
Bob Allisat (Posted 2008-04-12 11:18:06)
I think maybe Ken was watching some other game. Gerber was inundated by a clearly superior team with obviously great depth of skills, abilities and natural talent. Both offensively and defensively the Senators reeked leaving their goalie hung to dry. I do not believe Gerber is a franchise goalie. And unless he gets hit by lightening or something he'll never make it to the Hall of Fame. But last night he was all there was between sad sack Ottawa and a ten to nothing shellacking. I can't comment about Theodore because I didn't see the game but Martin Gerber's play off performances have been stellar. It's a wonder first how such a great on paper team as the Ottawa Senators can fall so low so fast, so often. But this time no-one can blame Gerber. And what's his name malcontent useless back-up goalie is safely in the only position he can be trusted in: opening and closing the bench door his for equally under performing team mates.
Kevin Mills (Posted 2008-04-12 11:04:56)
Watched both games over here in the uk, and think you are completely delusional. As previous people have said, the sens would have been so far out of it before the Pens scored there 4th. The blame needs to be put on there offence rather than there Goaltender. The same also applies for colorado. There is no "I" in team. By your judgement then the worst goaltender in the playoffs must be Brodeur who has been well below is high standards.
Michael (Posted 2008-04-12 10:05:31)
I hardly think you can pin the Ottawa loss on Gerber. The blame should clearly reside on the Sens players with the large contracts. Spezza and Heatley again failed to deliver in the playoffs, and again that they are not huge fans of playing defense. Furthermore, the likes of Redden and the rest of the Sens defense corps should carry the blame for allowing 53 shots on Gerber.The Sens' D are being severely outplayed.
barb (Posted 2008-04-12 08:54:37)
If not for Gerber, the Sens may have lost 10-3 instead of 5-3 - he gave up only 4 goals, and it could easily have been much worse.
whatsthatsmell (Posted 2008-04-12 07:59:48)
That was a vicious attack if I ever saw one. Theodore stunk the joint up yes, but the entire article was about how bad a guy that stops almost 50 shots in an NHL playoff game is. Maybe he did flub up the on the last goal, but does that make him any worse than Brodeur?
Coady (Posted 2008-04-12 07:46:46)
This guy obviously either doesn't have a clue what he's talking about or he has a huge chip on his shoulder! Martin Gerber was the only reason that the senators even had a chance of even being in this game and to say that he was the reason they lost means Ken obviously is just looking for a rise out of someone (i'm not even a senators fan) or maybe didn't even watch this game!
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