Niemi withstands barrage with big third-period saves
If Antti Niemi's English-speaking ability improves as rapidly next year as his goaltending skills improved this season, he'll be anchoring the network news, delivering tongue-twisting rap lyrics, and teaching the language at an Ivy League school by next June.
As for now, the 26-year-old rookie from Finland must settle for being the difference between a 2-0 Blackhawks' advantage and a 1-1 split in the first two games of the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals.
Facing a fusillade of Philadelphia shots in the final 30 minutes, Niemi rejected all but one to save the Blackhawks' 2-1 victory at United Center.
He finished the night voted as the game's No. 1 star, which allowed Niemi to soak up a postgame standing ovation at center ice.
"It's an unbelievable feeling, how the people react," Niemi said in his deliberate manner.
Hard to believe it's the same guy who almost didn't make the Hawks' opening-day roster eight months ago.
"It's like night and day," Niemi said. "It's a huge difference."
The same might be said of Philadelphia's offensive presence during the first half of Monday's game and the latter half.
The Flyers peppered Niemi with 20 shots in the final 26 minutes, including several they felt deserved to reach the back of the net.
"I thought their goaltender played extremely well in the third period," said Philadelphia coach Peter Laviolette.
That's when the Flyers seemed to spend all too much time in the Hawks' end as they couldn't control the puck.
"They came hard and Antti was huge for us tonight," said Hawks defenseman Brent Seabrook.
Counting his stellar third-period play in Game 1, Niemi went 65 minutes and 31 seconds without allowing a goal.
He stopped Philadelphia's first 20 shots Monday night, but the Flyers' Simon Gagne broke through about 5:20 into the third period with one second left on a power play.
Mike Richards flipped a pass from the boards that hopped over Seabrook's stick to Gagne, who whipped it past Niemi. Jeff Carter screened Niemi from getting a clean look at the shot.
That hardly reduced the allure of Niemi's highlight reel that began midway through the second period with the game still scoreless.
Richards, the Flyers captain, had a breakaway with 12:27 left in the second period, but Niemi kicked it away nicely with his right blocker.
That triggered a stretch during which Flyer after Flyer sent slapshots steaming Niemi's way.
He coughed up long rebounds on the first few. The second one led to a Daniel Carcillo slapper that Niemi gloved.
With 5:35 left in the second, Arron Asham worked free for a wicked slapshot that required Niemi to extend as far as he could reach to his left to make the catch. The 22,275 in attendance rewarded him with a huge ovation.