Huet won't face Khabby; gets a rest at home but still Hawks' No. 1 goalie

Joel Quenneville's decision to start Antti Niemi against the Oilers on Wednesday night did nothing to change the fact that Cristobal Huet remains the Blackhawks' No. 1 goaltender, at least in the mind of the head coach.

"Huey's the guy and he's going to play most of the games here early on in the year," Quenneville said. "He seems to be comfortable with his game, but I think he can play a little better. Other than that, he's trying to work on his game in practice. He'll fight through it."

Huet has struggled in his first four starts and got the quick hook on Monday against Calgary after allowing 3 goals on 5 shots in the first seven minutes.

Huet admitted he must make more big saves at key times, like early against Calgary when the Hawks were running around in their own end defensively.

"Last game we didn't start right, but I have to make an early save to give the team confidence," Huet said. "That's where I'm at now. I think the first two games I needed to make one save more every game."

Huet will get the start Thursday night in Nashville.

"I need to stay positive and work hard and come the next game turn that thing around," Huet said. "I know I can do it. I've done it long enough to know that it's not one or two games that are going to stop me from being there."

Quenneville sidestepped the question of whether he was protecting Huet from a potentially angry home crowd by starting Niemi against Edmonton.

"It's an opportunity for Antti to get a start," Quenneville said. "He got the win last game and deserves to start here at home."

It's certainly an awkward spot for Niemi, although the rookie confessed he would like to play as often as possible.

"For sure, if I play well, and I think I can play well," Niemi said.

Edmonton's Nikolai Khabibulin has been in Huet's skates, when the focus and pressure is put on a struggling goalie rather than the team. Khabibulin felt the heat plenty of times during his four seasons in Chicago.

"It's the nature of the business," Khabibulin said. "Goalies are always the ones that are getting the loss with the team. Goalies are the last guys to actually help the team erase mistakes, so everybody looks at the goalie at the end of the game.

"When you give up 4, 5 or 6 goals, obviously you're the first guy that somebody is going to look at. You just have to throw out those games and get ready for the next one."

That's what Huet has been trying to do during practice time between starts.

"It's not like I'm far away," Huet said. "I was definitely bad last game, but it's not the big deal, it's more mental with me and that's why I have to stay positive and work hard.

"My job is to stop the puck and cover for the mistakes and I haven't done that."