One of the stories of the playoffs has been the incredible goaltending of Cayden Primeau and Trent Miner, who have been lights-out. Can they keep it up? Will the workload eventually get to them?
A story of the Calder Cup Playoffs is the goaltending. The position was a weakness in the regular season and has let teams down in the NHL, notably in the playoffs. Yet, the final four teams have not only received good play in the net, but they've also received dominant play.
That's been the case with Cayden Primeau of the Chicago Wolves and Trent Miner of the Colorado Eagles, the two teams in the Western Conference Final. It's a slight surprise.
Primeau was a journeyman goaltender, someone who bounced around from the NHL and the American Hockey League before joining the Wolves this season. He had a .916 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.16 goals-against average (GAA) this season, with a .928 SV% and a 2.30 GAA in the playoffs.
Miner has a lackluster season with a .904 SV% and a 2.64 GAA. Yet, he's been the best goaltender in the Calder Cup Playoffs, with a .935 SV% and a 1.35 GAA along with four shutouts.
In short, the two goalies in the Western Conference Final are playing their best at the right time. There's a good chance one of them leads their team to a Calder Cup title and makes the case to play in the NHL next season, just like Arturs Silovs did last season with the Abbotsford Canucks.
But Will Either Hit A Wall?
At this point in the playoffs, that's the other side of things. They've played great, yet the workload and number of starts might catch up to both. Miner only played 32 games this season and will start his 15th on Friday night. Game 5 will be Primeau's 14th start of the playoffs after starting 39 games during the regular season.
On top of the workload in the playoffs comes the battle that is this series. Game 4 was the second of a back-to-back, a rare sight for the playoff schedule. Both goaltenders started on short rest yet stepped up in a 2-1 Eagles win. Game 5 is the third game in four days, the game where the other shoe (or skate or glove for goalie terms) might drop. This is where both goaltenders can have a bad game out of the blue, and suddenly, the series shifts.
It Makes Game 5 The Biggest Of The Series
This series is about as even as it gets. It's been a back-and-forth matchup where the Wolves looked like they had the edge (winning Game 1), then the Eagles (winning Games 2 and 3), and then the Wolves again (taking Game 4). It leaves both teams knotted up at two wins each heading into Game 5.
Both Primeau and Miner have been workhorses. One of them can steal a game, and they might. Likewise, one of them can cost them this game and the series. It all goes down on Friday at 7 PM Central Time.
Who Has The Edge?
If there's one goaltender to trust between the two, it's Miner. It's not because he's been the best goaltender for any team in the playoffs. It's not because he's having a better series either. It's because Miner is discovering his NHL upside at the right time.
Miner struggled in his first few seasons in the AHL with the Eagles. However, goaltending takes time to develop. Miner is coming into form at 25 years old. Primeau has bounced around early on in his career but the Eagles have a goaltender putting it all together at the right time.
It's worth adding that the Eagles' defense has stepped up in front of Miner. They've played the shooting lanes and have limited the shot total. When a defense understands the goaltender they are playing in front of, it makes for an unstoppable combination.
Yet, if there's any team that can break through that Eagle wall, it's the Wolves. It's what they've done a few times in this series with power play opportunities but also with the skill they have in the top six. All this sets up for a great finish to this series.