Antti Niemi has taken Cristobal Huet’s job in the Chicago net.
When the Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers hook up Saturday in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals, there will be a different goalie matchup than there was on March 13 during their only regular season meeting.
Cristobal Huet was between the pipes for the Blackhawks when they suffered a stunning last-second 3-2 loss to Michael Leighton and the Flyers in that regular season game. Philadelphia closed as a 110 home underdog, with the combined five goals dipping ‘under' the 5 ½-goal closing total.
Things might shake out a bit differently during the upcoming Stanley Cup Finals, as the Blackhawks are now riding the hot netminding of Antti Niemi. Leighton will again be in the Philadelphia net because of an injury to No. 1 goalie Brian Boucher.
Niemi has been between the pipes in all of Chicago's 16 playoff games, and in 25 straight outings dating to a March 28 regular season contest.
The 26-year-old has yielded two goals or less in nine of those 16 playoff games, including each of the last five. Niemi is on a five-game winning streak after defeating Vancouver 5-1 in Game 6 of the semifinal series and then standing tall in net during a four-game sweep of top-seeded San Jose during the Western Conference Finals.
Niemi defeated the Sharks by scores of 2-1, 4-2, 3-2 and 4-2, while stopping 129-of-136 shots. Overall, Niemi is 38-11-2-2 in 55 appearances with a 2.27 GAA and a .915 save percentage. He also has an impressive nine shutouts.
Chicago has the luxury of having Huet as a backup if Niemi should falter or get injured. Huet, who had played the majority of games in the Chicago net until Niemi got hot in mid-March, is 26-14-0-4 in 49 appearances with a 2.49 GAA and .895 save percentage. Huet also has four shutouts.
Leighton has been a sizzling 6-1 in the seven playoff games since taking over when Boucher got injured on May 10 during Game 5 of the Boston series. Leighton has registered three shutouts in those seven starts and has stopped 185-of-196 shots in the process.
Overall, Leighton is 22-6-2-0 in 35 appearances with a 2.24 GAA, a .925 save percentage and four shutouts.
The Flyers received some good news about Boucher, who sprained ligaments in both knees May 10 while making a second-period save against Boston in the conference semifinals.
Boucher practiced with the team Wednesday in Voorhees and said he is hoping to dress and be ready for a backup role for Saturday's Game 1 in Chicago. He said he got over another hurdle by being able to practice without any setbacks.
Boucher is 6-4 with a 2.33 GAA and .915 save percentage in 10 playoff games this season. During the conference quarterfinals against New Jersey, Boucher keyed the series win with a 1.59 goals-against average, which was the best in the NHL at the time.
Philly should be at near full strength, as forwards Jeff Carter (broken foot) and Ian Laperriere (brain bruise, broken orbital bone) recently returned to the lineup after their seasons were in jeopardy.
Andrew Ladd, a third-line Chicago left winger, did not skate during practice Wednesday because of a shoulder injury. Ladd is expected to play Saturday.