| | Every two weeks for the duration of the season, ESPN analyst and former NHL goalie Darren Pang ranks the five best goalies in the game at that particular moment. He'll tell you why each guy qualifies as an elite NHL goaltender. New stars will emerge, while bright ones from the past may fade.
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PANGER'S TOP 5
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| |  | | | Shields |
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Steve Shields
San Jose
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7 GS, 6-1, 1.31 GAA
He never quits on the puck, no matter how desperate it looks. He has faced the most shots of any starter, yet has the best save percentage (.961). The team believes in him, and because this is a young team, he fits right in with
the core of this club. |
| |  | | | Fiset |
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Stephane Fiset
Los Angeles
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6 GS, 4-2-1, 1.93 GAA, .931 save pct.
The West is taking over, and Fiset is leading the way for L.A. Big confidence booster to win his arbitration case in the summer. He has faced 156 shots after six games and has a minuscule GAA. Great stuff! The big thing now will be consistency and health if he is to stay atop the rankings.
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| |  | | | Osgood |
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Chris Osgood
Detroit
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5 GS, 4-0-1, 1.41 GAA, .944 save pct.
Could very well be headed back to the All-Star Game after
starting the season sharp and healthy. Don't be deceived by the lack of shots
against; he has faced the fewest of the top 5, but it is sometimes harder to
maintain concentration with little action and then a sudden odd-man
break. His balance and reflexes are great for this time of the year. |
| |  | | | Joseph |
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Curtis Joseph
Toronto
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6 GS, 4-2-0, 2.00 GAA, .927 save pct.
The favorite to start in the All-Star Game, which will be in Toronto. He loves the pressure of being the main horse for a team that will give up some good chances. His acrobatics this early are impressive, and now, without Sundin for an extended period, he will have to give the Leafs a chance every game. |
| |  | | | Shtalenkov |
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Mikhail Shtalenkov
Phoenix
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6 GS, 4-1-1, 1.81 GAA, .930 save pct.
He started out strong last year with Edmonton and then fizzled. Can he hold up this season? After beating the Senators, Shtalenkov stole the No. 5 spot from Martin Brodeur. |
On the move ... North
1. Martin Brodeur, New Jersey
2. Arturs Irbe, Carolina
3. Felix Potvin, N.Y. Islanders
4. Patrick Roy, Colorado
5. Olaf Kolzig, Washington
On the move ... South
1. Grant Fuhr, Calgary
2. Jocelyn Thibault, Chicago
3. Roman Turek, St. Louis
4. John Vanbiesbrouck, Philadelphia
5. Mike Vernon, San Jose
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