gcom007

Furthermore, most of his comments appear directed at me and I think it's quite clear that I am not leaning towards either goalie whatsoever at this point. But watch out, you obviously just want to hate on Hasek if you think Osgood's play these last two games was better than Hasek's .600 Sv.% today. There's no room for any rational opinions here even if they're completely logical. Some people need to learn that observing and accepting the reality does not equate to blind, subjective hatred. Again, win with a .923 and a 1.000 today vs. a loss and a .600 with 4 goals on 10 shots. I mean, come on, no one's demanding Hasek be thrown off the end of the earth here. People just need to get a grip...

If you actually read what I said, it's quite clear that I said no matter who starts in the playoffs, Osgood or Hasek, if we lose 2 in a row in the first round or two, I think there will be a switch. It's not about the name on the back of the jersey as I also clearly said because they're both fully capable of starting and that's what makes the switch possible in an effort to shake things up and get things going. It's a card Babcock has in his deck and I do believe he'll be open to using it should things get rough. The only reason it's more leaned towards Hasek is b/c barring a complete meltdown and Osgood shutout streak, he's likely the one who's starting. If we were assuming Osgood was starting based on management comments, my point would've been slanted towards him. Get off the Hasek juice and stop relying on "everyone hates Hasek" for the meat of your arguments. It's just absurd and a complete disgrace to rational discussion.

They don't intimidate me! Neither side tends to have much success arguing with me because I'm one of the few that enjoys the goalie discussions who isn't blindly allegiant to one side. I'm blindly allegiant to logic and winning, that's about it. Generally speaking I do pretty much agree with you. Though it sounds like I'm trashing our goalies for last month, I'm not really. I get the issue. I'm more trying to raise the discussion past "getting by" to discussing what it actually takes to succeed in the playoffs. I find both sides of the goalie debate still seem to be reliant on many of the first half arguments that back in November/December were supposed to be unnecessary now because everything would be settled and rosy. I still sense a lot of uncertainty and I definitely smell no hint of roses. Again, not saying either has sucked but sans Osgood's first half which we're well past now, neither goalie has been consistently excellent. Make all the excuses you want and cite all the single games. Fine. It don't matter in the playoffs homies... Once more, sans Osgood's first half, neither goalie has been consistently EXCELLENT and in the playoffs, that's going to be something we need unless we figure out how to consistently score 6 goals a game.

If we lose 2 games in a row in the 1st round, there will absolutely be a switch. With slightly less certainy I'd say the same of the second round. After that it'll most likely be locked in. When you have two goalies that are more than capable of starting in the playoffs, it's a lot easier to switch things up then the Legace year when Osgood was injured half the time and in Babcock's doghouse a bit, and furthermore, then Osgood got injured in practice in the playoffs. I don't think for a second that we'll lose two games in a row at least in the first round without a switch.

That's the difference for me though. Early in the season when Hasek was injured, Osgood was rising above mediocre to horrible play by the skaters and stealing games and keeping us in games we shouldn't have been in. He rose above the play of the team and carried us and he did so consistently until the second half. Granted, he hasn't had the consistency of starts that he had the first half, none the less, he has not played at the same level. You can blame it on not starting as much, sure, but the bottom line is he's not rising above the level of the team like earlier in the season. I agree that you can't hang him out for target practice for many of the games recently, but again, I'm sick of excuses about our goaltenders. Osgood hasn't won a game for us or kept us in one for a good while. I don't think Hasek's done so once this year. That's not going to cut it in the playoffs.

Well, it might've been a lot worse if we kept him in because at the rate he was going, he wouldn't have made quite a few of the saves that Osgood made to keep them in it. Did you even watch the game? Hasek let's in 4 goals. Osgood let's in none and makes some great, great saves. He deserves praise today for being a rock and keeping us in it and not letting it get far worse. The team built off that. They're not going to build off someone who let's in 4 goals on 10 shots. And read back to see how sympathetic I've been of Osgood's play generally lately. Here's a clue: not at all nor does it seem others have either. Neither goalie has stepped up their game and proven themselves to be a goalie that can rise above the mediocre play of this team. That's a problem and your precious Hasek has suffered from it just as bad as Osgood as this seasons gone on. And again, honestly, did you watch the game today? Your analysis strikes me as either absurd or completely ill-informed.

What's he proven over Hasek in the second half? Neither have played incredibly well. I still think it could go down to the wire but it'll likely be Hasek because he's Hasek but on a short leash.

Exactly! I'm sick of hearing, "oh, they had no chance!" I mean, sure, it's tough, but if we honestly think we're going to even get as far as we did last year when we incessantly have to make that excuse, we're just kidding ourselves. One of these guys has to rise above and start stopping those shots that "they have no chance on." See some of Osgood's saves today if you need a reference. Now if he could get to doing that consistently again.......

I agree, Hasek will likely start unless Osgood plays outstanding and Hasek plays like this until then end. Sans that which likely won't happen, it'll be Hasek. But, he'll be on a short leash. Like I said earlier, given the inconsistent play from both goalies this second half, no matter who starts, they're going to be on a short leash. There's just little room for error in the playoffs and you can't wait around for a goalie to get his head in the game. So one or better yet both of these guys better get things straight in the next two weeks. In November this conversation didn't mean as much. We're down to the wire now and the "slow starter" has picked it up but still struggled with injuries and inconsistency. Meanwhile, the "backup of destiny" has lost a bit of that magic touch and suffered from the same inconsistent play that Hasek has in the second half. I get that neither of these guys have a full team in front of them and they've been hung out to dry a good amount. But come on, when are we going to start expecting our goalies to manufacture results based on their own due diligence and not the team playing well? Sure, they oftentimes go hand in hand, but it's been awhile since our goalies have won games for us and kept us in games. They've just trudged on in as mediocre a fashion as the rest of the team has. That's just not going to get us too far in the playoffs.

Yeah, I miss the Brett Hull that wasn't pissed off at the man...he was great before he got annoyed and stopped playing hard.

Where's Puckloo?

Eh.......rough game...

Sloppy 6-4 play here for the most part...

Man oh man, I'm so proud of Franzen. What a guy. Hard, hard worker and it's paying off as his confidence is coming back. It's good stuff. And get this line off the ice!

ALRIGHT!!!!!! 1 MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT'D BE A HELLUVA FINISH!!!

Time for a goal, eh?

Yeah, Hasek let those 4 goals in, Osgood's been sterling since Hasek got pulled and has kept us in it. So, ummmm.... Yes. Both goalies have been inconsistent. I really don't think you can just assume Dom's the guy with the way they've both played, though that doesn't mean I think Osgood's the guy as he's been in the same inconsistent boat this half of the season. I think you start Hasek unless he keeps up the slop play which is likely due to injury, but he'll be on a short leash no matter what. Whoever starts for that matter.

That's the kind of save we need at points like this. Keep us in the game. Keep it up Osgood...now would be a very good time for you to start proving yourself...

I think Ozzie as the number one guy playing 60 games or so without the 1a/1b thing will give us a better idea. I'm not over the idea of that at all with Howard backing up. Realistically it's been an odd second half for our goalies. Hasek's gotten more games b/c he's most likely the playoff starter and needs to get up to speed after a shaky first half but then injuries put Osgood in more. It's rough for anyone to get their groove. Osgood was playing his best when he more or less was the starter and since it's been more 1a/1b, his play has dropped off a bit.

I really hope one of our goalies can emerge as being a consistent choice by the end of the season. Neither has left me much comfort as of late. Ozzie's last couple have been pretty solid but not spectacular and Dom, well, yeah...I mean, what can you say about the team? Hopefully with Cleary and Holmstrom back and a renewed Franzen we'll be scoring again, but we need a goalie who can provide consistency as a backbone. When they're on, they're on, but this 2nd half has been rough in terms of consistency for both of them.

Nice Osgood! They can't all be pretty!

Why not add another goal to make this thread more worthy to be up there? Way to go Franzen!

Nice Franzen again. Glad I topped that thread earlier...

Little lacking on the D there. Nothing Osgood can do there. Power play...time to answer early and make this a game.

He's been good. Not the flashiest but that's not his game. You can't argue with the numbers he's been putting up lately. And I called it at the deadline when everyone was saying we're screwed. I said look for Franzen to pick up his game. He's just too hard of a worker. I think he's just had to shake off a few setbacks from the last year or so. I think he'll be big for us in the playoffs. Now Flip just needs to really turn it up and my predictions will be correct, but I think he'll be solid for us in the playoffs and then I can gloat some more.