Halak

Well, I can't say I wasn't worried that Jaro laid an egg in game 1. But he faltered against the Caps one game too, getting lit-up and pulled. But we're talking about the Capitals and Penguins respectively, so it doesn't get much tougher than that. And you have to wonder if the team didn't play deperate in front of him or could only have a letdown after the Caps series. Game 2 was a different story, 38 saves, back to 1.0 GAA and the win.

I have always been interested in goaltending. I've even tried to play the position. I love all the nuances that come with it. The quirky personalities, mental toughness, video game champ reflexes, yoga master flexibility. A goaltender cannot win any playoff game by himself, but he/she can single-handedly guarantee that the other team does not win. It's an amazing position.

So, when you have a guy like Halak that puts on a display, it's a joy to watch. There's nothing like watching a team realized that they have little to no chance at scoring; except for luck, a fortunate bounce. A zoned in goaltender seems to get better as the shots pile up. Impossible saves become expected. This why I watch hockey.