Monday, January 28, 2013
Anderson's hot start
By Luke Lapinski
Given the prolonged work stoppage and rushed training camp, it should come as no surprise that the start of the new season has seen its fair share of odd occurrences. Nowhere has that been more evident than between the pipes, where some of the league's premier goalies have gotten off to sluggish starts.
So who's been the best netminder so far? According to Tom Awad of Hockey prospectus, the answer is Craig Anderson. And it's hard to argue with that assessment. After all, the 31-year old has made four starts and allowed a grand total of three goals. That translates to a 0.74 goals against average and .975 save percentage. And while those are both ridiculous numbers that are obviously not sustainable over the course of the season, they can be taken as a good sign that Anderson is on top of his game already. His solid effort in goal last year was a major reason the Ottawa Senators were able to get back to the playoffs after missing out in 2010-11. And, if they plan on returning to the postseason again this year, they'll need him at his best.
