Despite low save-percentages, both goalies produced respectable overall goaltending ratings. In fact, Elliot's phenomenal rebound control was enough to push his rating above-average. Niemi's low short-handed goaltending rating also had an impact on the game's results, as St. Louis scored 3 powerplay goals in the 4-3 win.
The 6'2", 210 lbs Niemi finished the regular season with a 34-22-9 record, a 2.42 goals against average, and a .915 save percentage. He has a career save percentage of .916 during the regular season, and surprisingly low .905 during the playoffs.
The 6'3", 204 lbs. Elliot finished the regular season with a 23-10-4 record, a 1.56 goals against average, and a .940 save percentage. He has a career save percentage of .909 during the regular season, and .892 during the playoffs.
My scouting reports for goalies focus on their ability to make saves, make big saves, control rebounds, and maintain good balance. The results of these attributes are added together to produce the goaltender's rating. The highest possible rating is 4.00, while the lowest possible rating is 0.00. The higher the value the better a goalie has played.
The first number involved in the calculation is the percentage of saves a goalie makes without giving up a rebound. For example, if a goalie makes 10 saves and gives up only 1 rebound his "no rebound percentage" is .900. Again, the higher the number, the better a goalie performs.
The next number in the calculation is the percentage of safe rebounds a goalie gives up for each rebound allowed. Rebounds deflected outside of the main slot are considered safe. As such, a safe rebound is defined as a rebound outside of an imaginary line drawn from each goalpost to the corresponding board-side hash mark. As an example of this calculation, if a goalie gives up 10 rebounds and deflects 9 of those pucks outside the slot, his "safe rebound percentage" is .900. Again, the higher the number, the better a goalie performs.
The next number is the percentage of saves that would be considered "big saves". A big save is defined as any save made on a play that would be considered a traditional scoring chance. As an example of this calculation, if a goalie makes 5 big saves on 20 shots his "big save percentage" would be .250. Once again, the higher the number, the better a goalie performs.
I also track how a goalie controls the puck. I do this by tracking his successful or unsuccessful pass-attempts, as well as his successful or unsuccessful attempts to dump the puck out of his zone. The resulting numbers are used to produce a ratio of successful plays for every 1 unsuccessful play.
SHORT-HANDED GOALTENDING RATING
Despite a substantially low save-percentage, Elliot's rebound control carried his short-handed rating to an above-average 2.13. He stopped 5 of 6 shots, and allowed only 2 rebounds from those 5 saves. One of those rebounds landed in the slot, and he made 1 save on a San Jose scoring chance.
As mentioned, Niemi's low short-handed rating had an impact on the game's results. He stopped only 2 of 5 shot-handed shots, and allowed both rebounds he produced from those saves to land in the slot.
ELLIOT131NIEMI
O REBOUND %0.6000.000O REBOUND %
SAFE REBOUND %0.5000.000SAFE REBOUND %
BIG SAVE%0.2000.000BIG SAVE%
SAVE %0.8330.400SAVE %
131
SUCCESSFUL PUCK PLAYS10SUCCESSFUL PUCK PLAYS
UNSUCCESSFUL PUCK PLAYS00UNSUCCESSFUL PUCK PLAYS
PUCK PLAYS RATIOn/an/aPUCK PLAYS RATIO
131
GOALTENDER RATING2.130.40GOALTENDER RATING
131
OVERALL GOALTENDING RATING
Elliot had a solid overall rating of 1.97. His even-strength rating actually lowered his overall rating. That said, he carried his impressive rebound control over to his ES play. Overall, he stopped 26 of 29 shots. He produced rebounds from only 12 of those 26 saves. Seven of those rebounds landed in the slot, and he made 3 of his 26 saves on shots that are considered traditional scoring chances.
Niemi had a better even-strength rating than Elliot, but it wasn't enough to compensate for his disappointing short-handed rating. Overall, he stopped 23 of 27 shots. He produced rebounds from 16 of those 23 saves, and allowed 10 of those 16 rebounds to land in the slot. He made an impressive 6 saves on St. Louis scoring chances.
ELLIOT131NIEMI
O REBOUND %0.5380.304O REBOUND %
SAFE REBOUND %0.4170.375SAFE REBOUND %
BIG SAVE%0.1150.261BIG SAVE%
SAVE %0.8970.852SAVE %
131
SUCCESSFUL PUCK PLAYS65SUCCESSFUL PUCK PLAYS
UNSUCCESSFUL PUCK PLAYS22UNSUCCESSFUL PUCK PLAYS
PUCK PLAYS RATIO3.002.50PUCK PLAYS RATIO
131
GOALTENDER RATING1.971.79GOALTENDER RATING
131
Please keep in mind, these are only 1-game scouting reports. As such, they are only meant to reflect these goalies play during this one game.
