Originally posted by dnewma04:
Hasek is probably the best goalie of the last 25 years. His stats weren't up to his usual pace, but they were still near the top of the league, he is far from overated. He had a bad 2nd game and gave up a soft goal in the first game. In game 3, he was back to normal form. I think the wings defensive style isn't real conducive to good goal tending. Getting to face 14-20 shots a game never allows a goalie to get into a rythym.
Have to agree completely with Dave on this point, I was/am a goalie and have played on numerous teams and have found it to be the hardest to play well in a situation where shots come few and far between. It becomes increasingly difficult the longer between shots that a goalie must wait. You lose your focus as well as the "zone", if you believe in that type of thing. Additionally your muscles begin to tighten the longer you stand there untested and also your reaction times become much slower and more labored.
On another note, something that most hockey fans don't realize is that Hasek's reputation alone makes him a better goalie than the average fan can appreciate. When shooters face a goalie that is as talented as Hasek they tend to think about where to place the puck rather than just shooting, that hesitation gives the goalie a chance to read the player and take the shot away...often ending with a shot that misses the net when the player adjusts again, hence not a shot on goal for the stats sheet.
Finally, you have to remember that Hasek's presence gives his teammates more confidence to more offensive-minded. They know that even if they get caught taking an offensive risk that Hasek is back there and will clean up for their errors. So indirectly Hasek is a vital part of the Wings' offense, he instills the confidence in his teammates to be aggresive and not think twice about taking offensive chances.
There is a LOT more to the goalie position than just stats (as is the case in many sports and positions), it is not fair to criticize Hasek's play during the season based on a few percentage point decrease. It becomes more and more apparent as you begin to think up all of the intangibles that Hasek brings to the table that he may be the most vital addition that the Wings made in the off-season. Yes his impact may not have been felt so far in the playoffs but do you honestly think that the Wings would have put up the points totals that they did with Osgood as the backstop? Not a chance in hell.
Sorry for the rant, but I have a problem when people with little or no experience with playing hockey (actually any sport), or more specifically the goalie position, try to analyze something that they simply can't understand since they have no practical experience with it.
The Wings did have alot of "jump" in their step and it was good to see the "big guns" step up and score. Unfortunatly I missed Nicks goal but it sounded like the one that Al MacGinnis scored on Osgood a couple years ago, but longer :p
sorry