Quote:
Originally Posted by Duffalufagus
Exception, not the rule.
This team is a SC contender from the blueline out. But Smith isn’t winning three playoff rounds. Our chances this year are tied to Rittich’s development.
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definitely the exception, but some food for thought:
The year Chicago won their first cup in 09/10, 34 year old Cristobal Huet put up an .895 sv% over 48 games while Niemi sported a .912 sv% playing 39 games. That is roughly the split Smith and Rittich have played thus far.
Even with his poor numbers, Huet managed 4 shutouts. Mike Smith is also essentially on this pace despite his .888 save percentage.
The first half of the season, Huet was having a much better season than Smith has thus far, but he began to falter in the second half of the year while Niemi stayed his consistent self.
Huet eventually lost the starters net to Niemi that spring, and was able to raise the cup after sporting a .910 and 2.63 stat line in 22 games in the playoffs.
How do you win a cup allowing 2.63 goals against per game with a .910 save percentage?
You score
3.55 goals per game, the highest goals per game of any cup winning team between 2010 and last year when the capitals won with 3.58 goals per game.
Chicago finished 3rd that year in the regular season with 3.20 goals per game.
The Flames right now are sitting at 3.53, 6th in the league.
Chicago finished 4th best in goals against that season with 2.48. Right now, the flames are 7th best with 2.78
It's an outlier, but it's definitely possible if you can score enough. If the flames had another scorer, they could be that team.