NHL reporter Terry Frei analyzes the eight goalies left standing after the first round of the playoffs:
Carey Price, Montreal
Age: 20. Year in league: First.
By trading veteran Cristobal Huet to Washington at the deadline, the Canadiens showed faith in Price, who a year ago was playing major junior for the Tri-City (Wash.) Americans. Price was solid down the stretch as the Canadiens secured the No. 1 Eastern Conference seed, and he bounced back after the Bruins scored five goals in both Games 5 and 6 to post a shutout in Game 7 in the first round.
Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh
Age: 23. Year in league: Fourth.
A high ankle sprain kept the top draft pick from 2003 out of NHL action for nearly three weeks, until late February. He had a solid season when healthy, then allowed only five goals in the four games against the Ottawa Senators.
Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers
Age: 26. Year in league: Third.
In mid-February, “King Henrik” signed a six- year, $41.25 million contract extension, and except for a horrible playoff debut in 2006, he has been a big hit. In the opening round, he outplayed the Devils’ Martin Brodeur.
Chris Osgood, Detroit
Age: 35. Year in league: 14th.
He was the starter for the Red Wings 10 years ago when Detroit won the Stanley Cup. Now in his second tour of duty with Detroit, he had a rebound year while sharing the job with Dominik Hasek. Osgood allowed only one goal in three games in the series against Nashville.
Jose Theodore, Colorado
Age: 31. Year in league: 11th.
He was the difference in the Avalanche’s first-round victory over Minnesota.
Marty Turco, Dallas
Age: 32. Year in league: Seventh.
Turco had another solid season with Dallas. His work — especially his savvy puck-handling — was one of the differences in the first round against Anaheim.
Martin Biron, Philadelphia
Age: 30. Year in league: Eighth.
After Buffalo committed to young goalie Ryan Miller and Biron lost the No. 1 job following three full seasons in the role, he remained highly regarded and went to the Flyers at the trading deadline in 2007. He had a solid season with the Flyers and was spotty in the opening round before he had 39 saves in OT clincher.
Evgeni Nabokov, San Jose
Age: 32. Year in league: Seventh.
An ironman for the Sharks this season. Nabokov’s work earned him a finalist nod for the Vezina Trophy. He played all but five of San Jose’s regular-season games and had six shutouts, and he outplayed Calgary’s Miikka Kiprusoff in the first round.
