The Boston Bruins are low-key having a great year, but there is a very big question at hand still: who should end up being the team's starting goaltender?
A month ago, the obvious answer would have been Tuukka Rask. He took over for Tim Thomas and has led the charge ever since. He has been well-above average in that role for a long time. Now, however, one may have to reconsider their stance on this issue.
Why? The Bruins are winning and things are going pretty well overall. Well, that may be true, but there is a little competition this year.
Through six games, Jaroslav Halak has actually outplayed Rask. In the six Halak games through the team's first 12 contests, he went 4-0-2 (picked up at least a point in the standings every time) with 1.51 goals allowed per contest and a .947 save percentage. That's a little better than Rask's 3-3-0 record with 3.15 goals allowed per contest and his .902 save percentage.
Let's be honest: if you look at those numbers, the choice is pretty clear. Is it a small sample size? Sure, but it's something we all have to be keeping in the back of our heads. When was the last time the B's had two different guys start six of the first 12 games? Clearly, they're considering two different guys for the job and clearly, one of them is outperforming the other.
The weird part of this is Halak isn't on the young side either: he is 33 years old and has 236 career wins in the league. Honestly, it doesn't really matter how old he is as long as he gets the job done.
Regardless, it's nice to know the Bruins have two competent goaltenders this season--as long as Rask can step it up at some point.