Posted by andru2797 on 3/29/2011 9:27:00 AM (view original):
Posted by peter_puck on 3/28/2011 4:41:00 PM (view original):
Yes but you have to admit it's an extremely weak division. I mean the leading scorer in the NE is like Thomas Vanek with 64 points (ie. Thomas, Price's numbers are extremely over-rated). Beating up half-sized Francois/Euro teams regularly doesn't make a team a contender. I don't know if the Bruins are even a playoff team in the West. 
I beg to differ...half of Price's shutouts have come against the Flyers, Canucks, Rangers and Penguins, and he's also posted a .910 or better save percentage against 9 of the top 15 teams in goals scored per game. As for Thomas, his numbers against Northeast opponents are worse than his numbers against every other division except the Central.
Curiously, both goaltenders have sucked against the Central posting a combined 0-5 record with a save percentage below .900 and a GAA over 3.40!
I believe both goaltenders have legitimately earned what they have this season and should both be Vezina finalists.
Good points.
I don't know about Thomas, but I do know that Price has a good habit bad habit of playing better
against higher ranked teams
and worse against lower ranked teams.
Other than meeting up with "Cinderella" teams in the playoffs (like the Flyers last season),
this is better playing average/bad against both types of teams.
Fortunately/Unfortunately, Halak was playing better than him by the time the playoffs started, so he didn't get the starts, understandably.