Quote:
Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache
Odd view. Kipper was decidedly the number 1.
Other goalies were chosen to play when Kipper was 1) not yet on the team, or 2) injured.
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It only seems totally obvious with hindsight. Given how the last few months of that season played out, I think lots of people would have picked the over on a line of 1.5 goalies to start for the Flames in the playoffs.
Not dissimilar to Binnington this year - he's obviously the guy going into the playoffs, but it's far from certain that he's their starter for the next decade. I think this question boils down to how much leash a goalie has in the playoffs, which is based more on the calibre of his backup than anything else. 1.5 bad games and Binnington/Kipper would still get the next start, but could expect a quick hook if it went poorly, and not start again if the backup looks better.
After Feb 1. 2004, Kipper played 21 games and Turek only 7, but Turek allowed exactly 2 goals in five of those games (though the Flames managed to lose four of those five), and posted shutouts in two of his last three starts that season. Sv% > 0.909.
Kipper's last 7 starts were W0ga, L2ga, L3, L3, W2, W0, W2 - three games with sub. 890 sv%. The dropoff to Turek near the end of the season was absolutely minimal. Kipper allowed 5 in game 1 against Van, but then W1, L2, W0, W1. In Game 6, he allowed 4 in the first 60 mins, but it took Van 42 mins to get another by him. Obviously he's staying in net for game 7.
Kipper didn't allow more than 2 goals in consecutive games all playoffs. His only consecutive losses were games 3 and 4 against SJ (2 ga and 4 ga). He followed that with a shutout and 1 ga to beat out the Sharks. Also game 6 and 7 against TBL were technically recorded as losses.
As it played out, Sutter never had to come close to making a decision - this was the time that Kipper earned his reputation for following up bad results with amazing performances. But heading into those playoffs, it was anything but certain how he would handle adversity in the post-season.
As compared to teams this year that are going to ride or die with: Holtby, Fleury, Murray, Andersen, Jones, Helleybuck, Price, Bobrovsky - 3 awful starts in a row and they are still very likely in the net for the next game.
Hammond and Hutchinson jump to mind as guys that had lengthy hot streaks, but didn't establish themselves as their team's long term starter (I'm sure there are plenty of other examples). Obviously the Flames felt confident enough in Kipper to turf Turek, but it was anything but certain that Kipper was going to come back from the lockout in Vezina form.