Who Has Been the Best Goaltender in the Playoffs So Far?

wprager wrote:

davetherave wrote:Anybody care to revisit their choices?

How about you?

Khabby's just been awesome though :n:

Not awesome enough. MAF outplayed him in at least one game. There is an injury situation that we're not allowed to know about yet, but injury avoidance is part of makes some players greater than others.

wprager wrote:

davetherave wrote:Anybody care to revisit their choices?

How about you?

Nope. Khabby was also the Hawks' best player until he was injured. As I said, very minute differences between him, Ward and Osgood.

Of course, I've watched every playoff game so far...not easy when they're sometimes on at the same time.

But such is the life of a hockey junkie.
cool)

Oh, and Prager...MAF plays for the Penguins.

Sorry, I was thinking about Ward -- the heir apparent according to some. Fleury is really trying to make a case for himself for Vancouver, but a reputation is so hard to live down. His 1st overall status has led to a negative bias.

Prager, at this point, with all seriousness, the question of who has been 'the best' goaltender becomes an exercise in analyzing so many factors it becomes almost absurd.

My observations and opinions:

While Ward's performance up until this series had been nothing short of spectacular, he showed a number of weaknesses in the Pittsburgh series that exposed the flaws in the Carolina D.

With Osgood, his ability to be a money goalie has continued to be in evidence; but he has still been shown to have lapses, and that he can be hit for quick goals.

Khabibulin was very strong technically and even came close to stealing one for the Hawks in Game Two Detroit, but his team's untimely defensive errors nullified some of his excellent work.

And Marc Andre Fleury, his infuriating tendency to lose his concentration aside, has been, for example, tonight--and as he did against Ovechkin in the 1st period of Game 7 against the Caps--able to make magical saves.

IMHO trying to say unequivocally that any one of these goaltenders was 'THE best' by just looking at the numbers is superfluous.

They're all outstanding.