Goalie Announcements (Feb 19)

Early hockey games are the worst, especially when you sleep in on a holiday Monday!  Somehow, however, I might actually get a goalie post done today too, which would be remarkable... especially, if it's on time.

The early nature of these games seems to mean that there will be some guessing done here today, so bear with me some more!

Devan Dubnyk (Brenda & Seward) versus Jaroslav Halak (Benson)
With some injury news on Long Island this morning, which will be touched on after this post is finished up, the New York Islanders don't have much choice than to go with Jaroslav Halak this afternoon against the Minnesota Wild.  It remains unclear who the Wild will go with, until they hit the ice for warm-ups, but one could still lean towards the number one, while the backup in an early afternoon game is always a safe move too.


Philipp Grubauer (Grant) versus Chad Johnson (N/A)
Word out of the Sabres camp is that Robin Lehner is now day-to-day with a lower-body injury, so he won't be participating in today's afternoon tilt between the Capitals and Sabres at KeyBank Arena.  This sounds like an all-backup affair, as the Capitals will give a start to Philipp Grubauer, which doesn't seem to matter too much to Grant's team, as it's a start either way.  Grant has one of those teams that is chasing down 3rd place at this point in the season and his team opens the week 32 points back.

Tuukka Rask (Clayton) versus David Rittich (N/A)
The Calgary Flames have an early start against the Boston Bruins on Family Day in Alberta and it still doesn't sound like Mike Smith is ready to go for the Flames, leaving the undrafted David Rittich to tend to the Flames net.  The Bruins have confirmed that it will be Tuukka Rask today and Anton Khudobin tomorrow in Edmonton, suggesting that the Flames are now the stronger of the two Alberta teams these days.

Craig Anderson (Tony) versus Pekka Rinne (Dale B.)
I can't see any reason why this wouldn't be the match-up, but I don't think there will be any confirmation in time, before the early game gets going here shortly.  Craig Anderson against Pekka Rinne, as the Senators are playing for pride and trying to give an argument not to dissolve this team at the deadline, while the Predators are chasing down the Central Division title, 2 points back of the Jets with two games in hand.  If both teams had something to play for, this one may be more exciting, but Nashville just has the strength these days and it's kind of scary.

Jonathan Quick (Chris) versus Anton Forsberg (Derek B.)
It's a regular evening game in Chicago, so there should be no real dancing around with the starters between the Kings and the Blackhawks.  The Kings are trying to make a run, so they will be more than likely going with Jonathan Quick tonight, while the Blackhawks have confirmed early on today that it will be Anton Forsberg tending their net tonight.  It isn't much of a match-up in the pool, but it isn't to say that this isn't an important game, one way or the other.

John Gibson (Tony) versus Marc-Andre Fleury (Scott)
Under the glitter and the bright lights of Vegas, it will be a prime time match-up between the Ducks and the Golden Knights and both teams should be, albeit unconfirmed, going with their top keepers tonight.  John Gibson to go for the Ducks, while Marc-Andre Fleury has been red hot for the Knights, both teams possibly meeting in the 2nd round of the playoffs, if the bracket goes their way as it stands today.