Low-key Niemi continues to hit a lot of high notes

Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville remembers the moment like it was yesterday.

It was the first time he saw a relatively unknown goalie named Antti Niemi play in person.

"The first game I saw him in was an exhibition game," Quenneville said. "I was in Dallas as a scout and watching him play. He put on an amazing performance that game. I think he stopped about three or four 5-on-3s in the middle of the game and went on to get the win."

Niemi didn't stop there.

The 26-year-old, who was signed by former Hawks general manager Dale Tallon in May 2008, has been opening a lot of eyes around the league after putting together a 26-7-4 record, including 6 shutouts, in his first full season in the NHL and then staying on a roll by recording two more shutouts during a first-round series win over Nashville.

Suddenly the Hawks' perceived goaltending quandary doesn't appear to be quandary anymore.

"We like his progress," Quenneville said. "He's got size, presence and he's got a great demeanor."

A demeanor that is lower than low-key. A trait so rare in goalies that Quenneville has joked of Niemi that if goalies had their own union, "I don't know if he'd be accepted."

Thus there was very little "awe" factor heading into the playoffs to a face fellow Finn, Pekka Rinne of Nashville, in the first round and now having to stare down the ice at Vancouver's Roberto Luongo beginning Saturday night.

"Of course it's great to play against great goalies like Rinne and Luongo," Niemi said. "But I think in the playoffs every goalie out there is good."

That would have to include Niemi, who in addition to his 2 shutouts in six playoff games has a .921 save percentage and a GAA of 2.15.

But it's those non-shutout games that have Niemi bothered a bit.

"I think it shouldn't be that way: either a shutout or allowing 4 goals," Niemi said. "Of course you want to get a better goals-against average in every game, so you have to do something about those 4-goal games."

Count on the high-flying Canucks not to cooperate. Vancouver players are aiming high - literally - when it comes to Niemi, whose style they compare to Los Angeles goalie Jonathan Quick, whom they dispatched in their quarterfinal series.

"He's similar to Quick," Canucks forward Alex Burrows told the Vancouver Province. "He's a butterfly goalie that kicks out a lot of rebounds, likes to block the puck. We'll have to get it upstairs and get some rebounds and traffic to the net."

And if they succeed, count on Niemi to take it all in stride and keep working.

"He's got a nice approach to the game, a nice approach after being scored on and then looking ahead," Quenneville said. "We think he's adapted to situations well."

<div class="infoBox">

<h1>More Coverage</h1>

<div class="infoBoxContent">

<div class="infoArea">

<h2>Stories</h2>

<ul class="links">

<li><a href="/story/?id=377480&src=149">Murray: Are the Hawks in Luongo's head? <span class="date">[04/30/10]</span></a></li>

<li><a href="/story/?id=377479&src=149">Quenneville, Vigneault share some coaching traits <span class="date">[04/30/10]</span></a></li>

</ul>

</div>

</div>

</div>