The Goalie Report: Risers and Fallers

In this week's column, we take a look at goalie performances over the past week. We shift the focus to netminders who will be in the playoffs. Who's going in on a roll and who isn't? 

Trending Up

Darcy Kuemper, Kings

Kuemper had been toiling somewhat anonymously for much of the season, while other well-regarded veterans have once again garnered top-tier goalie status. At this late stage of the season, his body of work ranks among the best in the game. He should wind up among the finalists in the Vezina Trophy conversation. It hasn't hurt his cause that the Kings do favor a defensive posture. At the moment, Kuemper is sporting a 2.03 goals against average, which is the lowest mark in his 13-year NHL career. He certainly looks primed to be at the top of his game with the playoffs approaching.  

Sam Montembeault, Canadiens

Montembeault is back in the Trending Up section for a second consecutive week, underpinning a late-season push by the Canadiens to secure their first postseason appearance in four years.  He's taken on a heavy workload, with a career-high 59 appearances and, at the same time, his GAA will wind up under 3.00 for the first time in his career. He's now on a season-best five-game win streak, during which he has allowed a total of eight goals. This team is close to clinching a playoff spot and taking the first big step in their current rebuild. Their future looks bright with Montembeault poised to play a key role in that trajectory.

Linus Ullmark, Senators

Ullmark is a big reason why the Senators will make the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons. He was signed as a free agent and has delivered on the expectations of filling the top goalie role in Canada's capital city, after overcoming early-season injury issues. In recent weeks, an important consideration is that he has successfully absorbed a heavy workload, appearing in 21 of the Sens last 26 games without impacting his ability to perform at a high level.

Anthony Stolarz, Maple Leafs

While the Leafs have employed a two-goalie system, with each goalie playing a significant number of games, the question that lingered over Stolarz and Joseph Woll is which one might emerge as the go-to guy once the postseason began. Both goalies have appeared in more games than in any prior season of their respective careers. However, it appears as if Stolarz has edged out in front in that conversation, as he's elevated his game with a season-best five straight wins, while allowing only eight goals over that stretch.

Jake Oettinger, Stars

Oettinger is one of those top-tier goalies who has fulfilled early-season expectations once again and has Dallas fans anticipating a long playoff run. Unlike a few other top goalies, Dallas has had a comfortable hold on a playoff position and a competent backup goalie in Casey DeSmith. Those factors have allowed the club to keep a lid on Oettinger's workload in recent weeks, as the two goalies have alternated starts. That should allow for Oettinger to be relatively well-rested for the start of the upcoming playoffs.

Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning

The other top name on this week's list of best performers, Vasilevskiy has seen the Lightning really lean on him to draw the club within striking distance of the top rung in the Atlantic Division. A first-place finish here is viewed as an important achievement, ahead of the gauntlet that lies ahead for each playoff-bound team in this division. Vasilevskiy has taken on the heaviest workload, tied with Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck, topping the 60-games played plateau for the fourth time in his career. Unlike the situation in Dallas, there is a significant drop-off in quality between Vasilevskiy and his backup, Jonas Johansson. That's factored into the heavy skew in goalie usage down the stretch for Tampa, in favor of their top option.

Trending Down

Logan Thompson/Charlie Lindgren, Capitals

It's been smooth sailing for the Capitals, who've emerged as the biggest surprise of this season. While news of Alex Ovechkin's goal scoring has dominated, some defensive cracks have appeared the last two weeks. The goals against for the Caps over their last eight games is hovering around 4.00, and both goalies, along with a declining level of overall defensive performance, appear to have equal responsibility for this recent dip.  On top of that comes news that Thompson is nursing an upper-body injury that may sideline him for the remainder of the regular season. The expectation is that he should be healthy for the start of the playoffs.   

Stuart Skinner, Oilers

Goaltending has been a season-long concern in Edmonton and now it's not just about performance. Skinner has missed the last six games with a head-related injury. Through his 49 games played this season, he's posted a 2.91 goals against average, which would be his highest mark over the last three seasons. This news is compounded by injuries that have sidelined the Oilers' two top forwards. Teams want to be going into the postseason on a high note. The return of all three players is imminent, but unlike last year, there's not much optimism for Edmonton's chances due to goaltending and overall inconsistency.

Pyotr Kochetkov/Frederik Andersen, Hurricanes

It's a similar story in Carolina with the Hurricanes, a team which was among the preseason favorites for the Stanley Cup. A loaded offense and equally deep and talented complement of blueliners have shielded the team's perceived weakness in goal all season. In recent weeks, Kochetkov has allowed three or more goals in each of his last five starts. Meanwhile, Andersen had a string of eight straight high-quality starts (two or fewer goals against), before giving up five in his most recent appearance. Despite his recent success, there's an air of uncertainty around him, owing to a checkered injury history which has impacted each of his last three seasons in Carolina.

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