TWO ON, TWO OFF
Koskinen thrives in tandem role: Matheson
Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen are Big and Bigger.
They are also a very large reason why the Edmonton Oilers have one loss in seven games. Smith has a .917 save percentage on 120 shots over four games and Koskinen is .927 on 110 in three.
No goalie has played more than two in a row, democracy in action. Smith started the first two games, then Koskinen Games 3 and 4. Smith got Games 5 and 6, and Koskinen will likely be in net against Ken Holland’s old Detroit Red Wings Friday, so it’s an even workload through eight games.
The six-foot-five Smith is all swash and all buckle on the ice and when talking. You can barely find a pulse when the six-footseven Koskinen is explaining how things are going for him.
So about those 49 saves against Philadelphia Wednesday, Mikko. You tired? The Flyers outshot the Oilers by 30, 52-22, and Edmonton still won 6-3. If you take in shots at the net (others blocked or wide) Philly had 85, the Oilers 37. And again, Edmonton won by three goals.
“He was first. second and third star for me,” Oilers coach Dave
Tippett said.
The sheer volume, almost a shot a minute, would be hard on any goalie.
“I was pretty ready for bed (after the game). They were shooting a lot of pucks from the outside, though. We didn’t let them come to the middle,” said Koskinen, shrugging off the idea of a 52-shot night building confidence, along with his 3-0 start, after taking considerable heat last year, especially the last two months when he played every night after Cam Talbot was traded.
“I haven’t thought about that, just going game by game. Whether it’s a good or bad game, you have to leave it behind.”
The 52 shots were the most he’s ever faced. Twenty-five in the third period. On the night, Trevor van Riemsdyk (9), Sean Couturier (8) and Jake Voracek (7) had more shots than the entire Oiler team on Carter Hart and Brian Elliott in the Flyers net.
“I really didn’t notice all the shots until they had that 6-on-3 at the end (two Oiler penalties and Flyers pulled Elliott for an extra skater). That doesn’t happen too often.
“Didn’t take them long (six seconds) to score (Voracek),” Koskinen said.
“If you faced 52 shots every night, it would challenging, but it’s just once in a while.”
“You would never get 50 shots in the KHL. The rink is so much bigger and there’s no point to shoot from outside because they’re so far away from the goalie,” he said.
His save percentage is in the top eight in the league, not that he cares.
“To honest I’m not going to look at that, don’t even tell me what it is. I only care about wins,” he said.
Koskinen and Smith have built a nice relationship, a competitive one, also a winning one. Koskinen hasn’t asked Tippett about who plays and why.
Their stats are similar, but not their makeups. Koskinen is much more reserved.
“Both engaging in their own way,” Tippett said. “Obviously, I go a long ways back with Smitty, since he was a rookie. Different personalities, but both have a passion for playing and a passion for winning.”
Does one goalie actually push another to get better? Maybe.
“I thought we could manage the goalie situation coming into the season, so we gave both the best chance to win and make sure both are rested. So far so good for both guys,” said Tippett.
The 1A and 1B goalie tandem works fine in most places.
“It’s often necessity. If you a bonafide No. 1, an established guy, he’ll get the bulk of the games. But for us, with our schedule and our travel, I don’t mind how ours is,” Tippett said.
Koskinen admits to being envious of Smith’s puck skills.
“Of course I watch Smitty and try and to learn what he does well but I can only control my game,” Koskinen said.
When asked what he thinks he’s doing better from last year, he paused.
“That is up to you,” he said with a grin.
“My game has improved quite a lot over the summer, but there’s still room for me.”