By Paul M. Banks
Heading into game one of the Western Conference Finals, Chicago Blackhawks rookie goaltender Antti Niemi had not faced the opposing San Jose Sharks this season. But after turning back 44 of the 45 shots he faced, Niemi showed that he has all the resolve and experience he needs.
“Yeah, it didn’t bother me too much. Not at all. I don’t know if one or two games earlier would have helped also. So I think it didn’t matter, like same thing as Nashville, we didn’t face them for a long time either,” Niemi said of his being green in San Jose before today’s game.
A reporter asked Niemi what was going through his head during the final minute of the game when a power play gave San Jose a 6 on 4. “You know you’re going to go busy at the end because of PK. You want to just focus for the next puck,” Niemi responded.
Niemi was asked if this was the best game he’s ever had in his young career (because obviously it is) and what his best save of the night was.
“It depends on how many shots you face, but also like their quality, if you have lots of PK or breakaways. Maybe one game in Vancouver earlier this season or maybe one in Pittsburgh, they were pretty good, too.
Best save, maybe in the second period with my glove from the goal line,” Niemi said.
Antti’s coach Joel Quenneville took note of his development today as well, noting how much momentum the Hawks got from their young goalie.
“We know that that was the toughest challenge and hurdle, the building, the energy, the enthusiasm. The crowd gets into it. And I think, being off there, and they were off, too, as well. But we had to kill three. We were three shorts in the first, they scored on the one. Only down 1-0 in the first period, we probably felt fortunate.
But I still thought we would have got our feet going in that second period, representative of how we have to play going forward…
…He had some key saves there. He looked big. Took away big parts of the net, dangerous plays, a couple of turnovers, couple not getting it in deep. It was their turn almost from the first part of the second to their part at the end.”