It all starts in the net for Hawks
One thing after another has gone right for the Blackhawks to this point in the season.
Patrick Sharp still has been able to score playing full time at center. Rookie winger Kris Versteeg came out of nowhere to be a dependable top-six forward and scorer. Martin Havlat has been able to stay healthy. And Cam Barker has come up from the minors and added more offensive punch to the defense.
But nothing is working better than the $12 million goalie rotation involving Nikolai Khabibulin and Cristobal Huet that many predicted either would not work or could not work after general manager Dale Tallon signed Huet as a free agent July 1.
"It's been a question mark all year, but to me Dale looks like a genius signing those two guys," Sharp said. "We're getting good goaltending every night whether it's Nik or Huey, and it's key."
OK, maybe that's laying it on Tallon a little thick. This is a situation that nearly didn't get a chance to work back in training camp. Khabibulin was put on waivers as a way for the Hawks to free up cap space by removing his $6.75 million salary from the books.
Khabibulin cleared waivers, after which he was given permission by the Hawks to seek a deal to play in Russia. When negotiations in Russia fell through, Khabibulin returned to the Hawks with both sides ready to make the best of it.
Huet started opening night in New York, a 4-2 loss to the Rangers, but Khabibulin got the call the next night in Washington. Playing without so much as a single period of work in the preseason, Khabibulin was sensational in a 4-2 loss to the Capitals.
Khabibulin has played great ever since that night in Washington and began to get the majority of starts, particularly after Joel Quenneville took over as coach from Denis Savard following the fourth game.
The rest of the story can be found in the numbers. Khabibulin reaches Christmas 10-1-4 with a 2.44 goals-against average and .922 save percentage and deserves to be headed to the All-Star Game next month in Montreal.
"I haven't really thought about it, and I don't see why I should think about it," Khabibulin said. "Right now I'm just happy that we're winning. That's all I care for.
"I mean, if it happens that would be great, but I wouldn't mind getting a couple days off."
After a slow start, Huet has found his game big time, giving the Hawks a spectacular 1-2 combination at the most important position. Huet finally got it together when Khabibulin missed six games because of a sore groin.
Huet has won four games in a row to be 8-5-3 with a 2.38 goals-against average - better than Khabibulin's - with a .916 save percentage.
The starts have been split fairly evenly until now with Khabibulin getting 16 and Huet 15. Khabibulin likely will continue getting most of the starts, perhaps two out of every three games, although Quenneville insists his decision comes on a game-by-game basis.
"We're winning games, so that's good," Khabibulin said. "Every player wants to play as much as he can, and I'm sure Huey is the same way, but we're here together and whenever one of us gets the call we try to do the best we can."
<p class="factboxheadblack">Classic countdown: 8 days until faceoff</p> <p class="News">The Blackhawks have a big fan in high places.</p> <p class="News">"I want to thank the Blackhawks players," Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley said at a news conference promoting the Jan. 1 game at Wrigley Field between the Hawks and the Red Wings.</p> <p class="News">"They have been out in the community connecting, not only with their own fans but with a lot of young people in the city. They've done a terrific job educating us about how they're going to give back to the community. They're great athletes."</p>