One of the loneliest positions in sports has to be the hockey goalie. You are the last line of defense, which is why goalies in hockey are given credit for wins and blamed for losses. Unlike pitchers, you do not have a catcher coaching you through the game, and unlike soccer goalies, you face 3 to 4 times more shots on goal. Lastly, your forced to dress differently, and I am not talking about a different color jersey or a larger lacrosse stick. No. In hockey you have to wear a face mask, glove, a stick resembling a large plank of wood, and shin guards that make every goalie look like they have the body type of Eddy Curry.
At least now with the media, not even pads and a mask can hide Henrik Lundqvist’s stunning looks. Goalies are not as much of a mystery as they used to be, but they still hold the weight of their team, and rarely do their teammates hold up their side of the bargain. Just take Lundqvist for example, who has won an Olympic gold medal and viewed as one of the best goaltenders in the game. Yet he never seems to be able to get out of the first round of the playoffs. This is because every time the NY Rangers take the ice, its hard not to believe that the ice isn't tilted, similar to how it felt watching Manchester United play Barcelona last weekend.
Yesterday we saw a great Game 1 Stanley Cup Final match. We saw two goalies both play amazing games. 70 shots and only one goal for both teams. The problem was, too many times Tim Thomas was left alone to do too much, stopping two 1 on 1 chances and eventually having to deal with a 2 on 1 that proved to be the difference. It is so easy to point at the goalie and say it's all his fault. Clearly this night’s hero was the man who gave up the game-winning shot.
Bruins defense, you owe Tim Thomas a game. Hopefully they can redeem themselves in Game 2. I guess this series is going to be a dogfight; one the city of Vancouver did not seem ready for.
Did he really bite him?!?!
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| Henrik Lundqvist |
Yesterday we saw a great Game 1 Stanley Cup Final match. We saw two goalies both play amazing games. 70 shots and only one goal for both teams. The problem was, too many times Tim Thomas was left alone to do too much, stopping two 1 on 1 chances and eventually having to deal with a 2 on 1 that proved to be the difference. It is so easy to point at the goalie and say it's all his fault. Clearly this night’s hero was the man who gave up the game-winning shot.
Bruins defense, you owe Tim Thomas a game. Hopefully they can redeem themselves in Game 2. I guess this series is going to be a dogfight; one the city of Vancouver did not seem ready for.
Did he really bite him?!?!
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