Goaltenders either win or lose playoffs every spring.
Favored last Fall by The Hockey News to win The Stanley Cup, Dallas went down to defeat in the Western Conference Final because goalkeeper Jake Oettinger folded and Stu Skinner did not.
We can only assume – but not have any idea – how Igor Shesterkin would have fared in this year's postseason because Mister Moneybags couldn' even lift the New Yorkers into a Wild Card berth.
Perhaps if – theoretically of course – Iggy was on the Oilers right this minute, they wouldn't be trailing two games to one.
Why Isn't There A Brad Marchand On The Rangers?
Any Rangers fan watching the Stanley Cup Final between Florida and Edmonton has to admire Brad Marchand.
"Chances are that Edmonton might have won Game Two with Shesty," says The Old Scout, "because Stu Skinner was not so hot on Brad Marchant's winning goal in overtime."
The Old Scout has a point. Mel Melzer, who played goal at the Israeli tourney at UBS last winter, studies goaltender's with an Argus eye. According to Mel, nSkinner is, at best, a marginal big league stopper.
The Maven asked Goalie Guru Melzer to evaluate Skinner. Here's what he said:
"Skinner simply isn't a reliable goaltender. The Oilers rolled the dice on a netminder who doesn't have the natural instincts of a high-end goalie. They developed him well but that can only take them so far."
At this moment the Edmonton high command is debating whether to start backup Cal Pickard for Game Four on Thursday night in Sunrise, Florida.
Melzer: "Even when Skinner has a solid game, he still lets in goals that leave you scratching your head. Right now consistency is everything. With Skinner, you never know what you're going to get on any given night – and that's a huge problem."
Then, a pause: "On the Florida side, Bobrovsky gives them a legitimate chance to win every night!"
And if Shesterkin was wearing an Oilers jersey, what might have happened?
"The last playoff game he played," The Old Scout recalls, "he folded against Florida and the team still hasn't recovered from that!"