The Oilers are 6-8-1 through 15 games this season. It’s better than last year, but one issue remains, the goaltending is inconsistent. Ben Scrivens is a solid netminder, there is no doubting that, but he has yet to grab the ball and run with it this season. He was good during the four game winning streak back in October, but outside of that he has been wildly inconsistent, making big time mistakes that have cost his hockey club.
I’m not saying the Oilers should dump Scrivens, I still think he is a solid goalie and a worthwhile investment, but I’m just saying we shouldn’t run around proclaiming Scrivens the top option.
Viktor Fasth had a very good training camp, and was solid in the pre-season. His first start of the year against Vancouver was solid as well, but he was hung out to dry by penalties and massive scoring chances. Start number two against LA was one to forget, as he got lit up and injured, and start number three was an ugly affair in Philadelphia.
Since then however, Fasth has given up three goals and won two games, beating Buffalo and New York and overall playing a solid game. Which Fasth is the real Fasth? Well think of it like this, he’s given Edmonton three quality starts, got hurt in one, and was coming off of an injury that kept him out seven games in another start.
Why Fasth?:
Viktor Fasth is a guy that has taken the ball and ran this last week. Edmonton badly needed someone to step up, and Fasth did it. He started two games, and did a damn good job when called on. He gave up only three goals in both games, and vastly improved his stats, both goals against and save percentage. The Oilers needed a solid goaltending performance, and he provided it.
On the season, Fasth has a .893 Sv%, which isn’t great, but all factors considered is improving. It’s shot up the last two starts, and he’s starting to look more confident playing the puck. Another reason why Fasth might be the play? He doesn’t take the risk. Ben Scrivens has tried to move the puck far too often this season, and on multiple occasions it has turned into a scoring chance and a goal for the opposing team.
This happened against Calgary and Arizona, and it cost Edmonton the game against Vancouver the last time they met. That’s a problem, your goalie can’t be making risky plays like that when you are a young team that badly needs the safe play, it’s costly, and quite frankly it hurts your chance to win.
Fasth doesn’t do that, he keeps the puck in front of him, and makes the safe play. He’ll dump it off to his defender, and won’t try and get too fancy with it. That’s a small detail, but it’s actually pretty important, you can’t shoot yourself in the foot.
Fasth, as mentioned, also responded when the team needed him, on the road, with the season hanging in the balance. That’s huge for a young team that just needed some solid goaltending.
What Can We Expect From Him:
Fasth is already over 30, has had experience in the professional ranks for years, and has posted solid stats. His Sv% in 2012-13 with the Ducks was .921, while he posted a .914 Sv% with Edmonton last year. Those aren’t elite numbers, but they are solid numbers, that is good NHL goaltending, something Edmonton badly needs.
As mentioned, this year Fasth has a .893 Sv%, but he was left out to dry in Vancouver, and got hurt in LA in a game where he was also hung out to dry. When the team has actually performed, Fasth has been good. That’s all you can ask for, and that is what you have gotten.
You won’t get the elite level goaltending that Ryan Miller has supplied Vancouver, or that Carey Price and Tuukka Rask hand the Habs and Bruins on a nightly basis, but you will be getting actual NHL goaltending. It’s not elite, but it’s league average. If you want a chance, you need that, and Fasth gives you that when he is healthy. By all accounts, he’s healthy right now, and clearly feeling confident.
Goalie Overview:
Should we count out Ben Scrivens? No, of course not! Scrivens, when on his A game, is likely the better of the two options. The only problem to this point is that he has been far too inconsistent, and Edmonton needs steady goaltending at this point. Fasth has supplied that these last two games, and supplied that before his injury too. If you take out the Philly start when he was coming off of an injury, he’s been the better of the two netminders.
Neither Viktor Fasth nor Ben Scrivens are elite, but right now Fasth is giving you steady goaltending. Do you ride him for a little bit? I think you do, ride him into Nashville tomorrow night and if he keeps on providing solid goaltending, win or lose, you ride him against Ottawa and Arizona later this week.
He’s giving you a chance to win right now, you have to take that if you are the Edmonton Oilers.
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