Bruins' backup goalie situation becoming a problem
The good news for the Boston Bruins is Tuukka Rask is playing some of the best hockey of his career.
The bad news?
All three goalies that have stepped in as backup have to this point failed miserably.
The latest example was Friday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes wherein Anton Khudobin saw an early two-goal lead evaporate around him.
Signed to a two-year, $2.4-million deal this past summer, Khudobin has not been able to effectively backstop the Bruins in relief of Rask, while rookies Malcolm Subban and Zane McIntyre did not impress in brief stints earlier this season.
Here's a look at Rask's numbers compared to those behind him on the depth chart.
| Goalie | Games | Record | Save % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuukka Rask | 26 | 17-6-3 | .930 |
| Anton Khudobin | 8 | 1-5-1 | .879 |
| Zane McIntyre | 3 | 0-2-0 | .859 |
| Malcolm Subban | 1 | 0-1-0 | .813 |
One potential silver lining for the Bruins is McIntrye's play at the AHL level. In 12 games, he's posted a record of 8-0-0 with a .956 save percentage. He could be called upon to jump up to the big club if need be, but there's still the matter of what to do with Khudobin and his contract.
With a record of 18-14-4 following the loss to Carolina, the Bruins remain in third place in the Atlantic. If they don't solve this particular problem, though, a third straight year out of the playoffs could very well be on the horizon.