CALGARY — Cam Talbot has added an interesting twist to the Calgary Flames’ goaltending situation.
In the midst of a season in which David Rittich has proven he’s No. 1 material, capable of carrying the team, Talbot has come along with an impressive stretch the coaching staff is not prepared to ignore.
For the first time in two-and-a-half months, Talbot was given consecutive starts this week, turning both into wins he was chiefly responsible for.
On Thursday, it was a remarkable 42-save effort that was the difference in a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Wild. Two nights earlier, he stopped 31 to beat the Chicago Blackhawks with an identical score.
The 32-year-old has been the starter in three of the Flames’ four consecutive wins.
It makes the coach’s decision for Saturday night’s starting assignment a fascinating one as the Flames host the Edmonton Oilers in what is the biggest game of the season so far.
“We’ll talk about that,” smiled interim coach Geoff Ward when asked post-game who his Saturday starter would be. “Talbs may be so tired he’ll need a couple days’ sleep. It’s a nice problem to have. I sure like the way he’s rolling right now. We’ll see how he is tomorrow and we’ll sit down and have a discussion about it and make a decision
“He’s certainly playing strong for us right now.”
Given Rittich’s play before Christmas, it would have seemed like a no-brainer to insert him into the brightest of spotlights.
You can bet a week ago that was the plan.
However, there’s been a noticeable shift in both goalies’ play of late that will make for interesting debate in the coaches’ quarters Friday.
Since Dec. 1, Talbot has gone 5-2-0 with a 1.93 GAA and .944 stop rate. Rittich was lit up on consecutive starts over Christmas that led to four straight home losses for the Czech character, and has gone 6-3-1 with a 3.12 GAA and a .902 save percentage in the same period.
Both, as Ward keeps repeating, have given the team a chance to win nightly.
But there is concern that the second-half blues that have haunted Rittich each of his previous two seasons may be on the verge of returning.
Others wonder if perhaps the man who sits top-five amongst NHLers in appearances, saves and wins is in need of some rest. So that’s most likely what he’s going to get, in short order.
Ward insisted earlier Thursday his mindset hasn’t changed regarding his netminders.
It’s a bit of a fib given Rittich’s first-half play dictated he get the lion’s share of starts, making it a chore to find spots where Talbot could be inserted to keep himself sharp.
Could it swing the other way now, with Talbot carrying the load for awhile?
You bet it could.
Talbot hasn’t started three in a row all year, which may very well change Saturday when his old team rolls into town with an identical 24-17-5 record.
“We take it a week at a time,” said Ward of his goalkeeping assignments. “We talk about what’s coming ahead. We like to get both goalies’ thoughts on what they are feeling and thinking. Then we go with our final decision.
“One thing we feel is necessary is for us to use both goalies down the stretch. Give them both time and then, come playoff time, you go with the guy that’s got the hot hand. We feel like the depth is a thing we can take advantage of. The depth of our goaltending position makes us a better team.”
It’s an interesting strength given how many people around the league suggested this fall that the biggest question mark in Calgary could be found in the crease.
Not so.
“Ya, obviously we don’t get that win without Talbs,” said Johnny Gaudreau, whose 12th of the season snapped a 1-1 tie midway through the second. “He played really well tonight.”
It started 33 seconds in, with a dramatic glove snag of a Joel Eriksson Ek shot.
That same glove robbed Wild defenceman Matt Dumba in tight minutes later — his first of six saves off the Calgary-born defender, prompting a loud reaction from a crowd who was stunned Talbot had come up with the grab.
The only shot that beat Talbot came 38 seconds into the second period when goalie Alex Stalock saw the Flames make a lazy line change and rifled it up ice to Mats Zuccarello, who came in alone and beat his former Rangers teammate with a wicked snipe off the far post.
Talbot shut the door from there, (with the help of each post) setting up the possibility he’ll get the same sort of hot-handed treatment Rittich received in the first 40 games.
Fact is, Talbot was brought in as a veteran and paid the same $2.75 million as Rittich to push for equal time.
Now would be the perfect time to let those starts even out for the two while Rittich regains confidence.
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