In goal this week: 3

In goal this week Week 3 *ending on Sunday, October 21st 2007* With Goalies’World Magazine editor, Gilles Moffet Goalies’World goalie of the week A perfect week for Martin Biron Martin Biron was almost perfect in goal for the Philadelphia Flyers this week, recording three home wins including two 4-0 consecutive shutouts over the Atlanta Thrashers (31 saves) and New Jersey Devils (38 saves) on Tuesday and Thursday. Saturday, he made 42 saves in a 3-2 overtime win over the Carolina Hurricanes. The wins over the Devils and Hurricanes were stolen wins since the Flyers were outshot 38-18 and 44-30 respectively. Biron moved into second place on the Goalies’World rankings with an overall record of 6-1-0, 0.952, 1.57 record. Goalies’World rankings Tim Thomas moves in first place Tim Thomas, of the Boston Bruins is now the no.1 ranked goalie at Goalies’World with an outstanding 3-1-0, 0.962, 1.26 record. Thomas only played one game this week but again, he was solid in a 4-1 home win over the Tampa Bay Lightining and that counts as a stolen win as the Bruins were outshot by 12 shots, 36-24. The Goalies’World Top Ten 1- Tim Thomas (Boston) 2- Martin Biron (Philadelphia) 3- Martin Gerber (Ottawa) 4- Niklas Backstrom (Minnesota) 5- Cam Ward (Carolina) 6- Pascal Leclaire (Coumbus) 7- Manny Legace (St, Louis) 8- Cristobal Huet (Montreal) 9- Chris Osgood (Detroit) 10- Nikolai Khabibulin (Chicago) Out of the Top Ten Olaf Kolzig (Washingon) and Henrik Lundqvist (NY Rangers) slid out of our Top Ten. Hot game of the week 38-save shutout by Biron The best game of the week was certainly the 38 saves 4-0 home shutout by Martin Biron, of the Philadelphia Flyers over the New Jersey Devils. Goalies’World rookie of the week Josh Harding beats the Blues The Minnesota Wild rookie goaltender, Josh Harding, was outstanding in a 3-1 road win against the St. Louis Blues and deserves our rookie of the week title with a 33 saves performance, NHL debut Czech goaltender, Ondrej Pavelec (Atlanta), made his NHL debut in relief duties on Saturday in Tampa Bay. Like Marc-Andre Fleury (Pittsburgh) Pavelec played his junior hockey with the QMJHL Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. He was called up from the American League due to the groin injury suffered by Kari Lehtonen, Injured Kari Lehtonen (Atlanta, groin). Back from injuries Ray Emery (Ottawa, right wrist) It’s been a hot week for Tim Thomas (Boston), Marty Turco (Dallas), Josh Harding (Minnesota), Ray Emery (Ottawa), Martin Biron (Philadelphia), Curtis Sanford (Vancouver). * Includes goalies with save percentage above 0.950. It’s been a tough week for Jocelyn Thibault (Buffalo), Peter Budaj (Colorado), Martin Brodeur (New Jersey), Alexander Auld (Phoenix). * Includes goalies with save percentage below 0.850 Shutouts Manny Fernandez (Boston), 26-save, 1-0 shootout win over the Rangers in Boston on Saturday; Pascal Leclaire (Columbus), 21 saves 3-0 shutout in Buffalo, his 3^rd of the year. Martin Biron (2), Philadelphia 31 and 38 saves shurtouts against Atlanta and New Jersey; Evgeni Nabokov, 22 saves 2-0 home shutout against Nashville. Best and worst shootout goalies Manny Fernandez (Boston), Mike Smith (Dallas) and Tomas Vokoun (Florida) all had perfect 3-save shootouts this week against the Rangers, the Blue Jackets and the Canadiens, respectively. On the other hand, Cam Ward (Carolina) and Niklas Backstrom (Minnesota) gave up three goals on three shots against Pittsburgh and Los Angeles respectively. Stolen wins The game stealers of the week are Martin Biron (2), Tim Thomas, Nikolai Khabibulin, Dwayne Roloson, Tomas Vokoun and Curtis Sanford. The steal of the week belongs to Biron and happened on Thurday when the Flyers were outshot by 20 (38-18) by the Devils but won 4-0. * A goalie is credited with a stolen win when he wins and his team is outshot by 10 shots or more. He also has to have a 0.900 save percentage in that game. Goalies’World rankings in other leagues Quebec major junior (week 5) Marco Cousineau takes 1^st place Marco Cousineau (18) of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, is now on top of the Goalies’World rankings of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Cousineau’s 7-3, 0.931, 1.97 record places him in front of Rafaelle d’Orso (Val d’Or). D’Orso was the leader in weeks 3 and 4. Cousineau had a solid week in two road wins (3-1, 21 shots in Moncton and 3-2, 38shots in Bathurst). West Hockey League (week 4) Finn Riku Helenius outstanding Riku Helenius (19), a first round pick (15^th overall) by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2006, looks like he is in top shape after missing most of the 2006-07 season with a shoulder injury. His 4-0-1, 0.938, 1.57 record with the Seattle Thunderbirds is nearly perfect and places him on top of the Goalies’World rankings. Ontario Hockey League (week 4) Bulls goalies are red hot Mike Murphy (18) of the Belleville Bulls, sits on top of the Goalies’World rankings of the Ontario Hockey League for a 2^nd consecutive week with a 5-0-0, 0.952, 1.78 record. This is very impressive since he faces 37.1 shots per game. And here is an unusual situation. Murphy’s partner, Edward Pasquale (17) ranks 2^nd with a 1-1, 0.929, 2.27 record and 32.1 shots per game. The Bulls are solid in goal. American Hockey League (week 1) Seven goalies in the big league The American Hockey League activities just began its activities and we’ll wait until next week to publish our first rankings. In the mean time we can only be happy for those seven goalies who have graduated to the NHL. First, the playoffs MVP, Carey Price didn’t stay too long in the A. Two regular season games and a Calder Cup conquest with the Hamilton Bulldogs earned him a spot with the Montreal Canadiens at age 20. Jason LaBarbera, our no.1 ranked goalie last year with the Manchester Monarchs is now with the Los Angeles Kings. Curtis McElhinney (2^nd at Goalies’Wold) is backing up Miikka Kiprusoff with the Calgary Flames since Jamie McLennan retired. Corey Crawford (3^rd) is still in the A but he is closer to the Chicago Blackhawks since their farm team is now very close in Rockford. Josh Harding (9^th at Goalies’World) is another one who is playing in the big league with the Minneosta Wild, following the departure of Manny Fernandez. Stephen Valiquete (Rangers), Dan Ellis (Nashville), Dimitri Patzold (San Jose) are also full time NHLers who were playing goal in the American League last year.

In goal this week

Week 3 ending on Sunday, October 21st 2007

With Goalies’World Magazine editor, Gilles Moffet

Goalies’World goalie of the week

A perfect week for Martin Biron

Martin Biron was almost perfect in goal for the Philadelphia Flyers this week, recording three home wins including two 4-0 consecutive shutouts over the Atlanta Thrashers (31 saves) and New Jersey Devils (38 saves) on Tuesday and Thursday. Saturday, he made 42 saves in a 3-2 overtime win over the Carolina Hurricanes. The wins over the Devils and Hurricanes were stolen wins since the Flyers were outshot 38-18 and 44-30 respectively. Biron moved into second place on the Goalies’World rankings with an overall record of 6-1-0, 0.952, 1.57 record.

Goalies’World rankings

Tim Thomas moves in first place

Tim Thomas, of the Boston Bruins is now the no.1 ranked goalie at Goalies’World with an outstanding 3-1-0, 0.962, 1.26 record. Thomas only played one game this week but again, he was solid in a 4-1 home win over the Tampa Bay Lightining and that counts as a stolen win as the Bruins were outshot by 12 shots, 36-24.

The Goalies’World Top Ten

1- Tim Thomas (Boston)

2- Martin Biron (Philadelphia)

3- Martin Gerber (Ottawa)

4- Niklas Backstrom (Minnesota)

5- Cam Ward (Carolina)

6- Pascal Leclaire (Coumbus)

7- Manny Legace (St, Louis)

8- Cristobal Huet (Montreal)

9- Chris Osgood (Detroit)

10- Nikolai Khabibulin (Chicago)

Out of the Top Ten

Olaf Kolzig (Washingon) and Henrik Lundqvist (NY Rangers) slid out of our Top Ten.

Hot game of the week

38-save shutout by Biron

The best game of the week was certainly the 38 saves 4-0 home shutout by Martin Biron, of the Philadelphia Flyers over the New Jersey Devils.

Goalies’World rookie of the week

Josh Harding beats the Blues

The Minnesota Wild rookie goaltender, Josh Harding, was outstanding in a 3-1 road win against the St. Louis Blues and deserves our rookie of the week title with a 33 saves performance,

NHL debut

Czech goaltender, Ondrej Pavelec (Atlanta), made his NHL debut in relief duties on Saturday in Tampa Bay. Like Marc-Andre Fleury (Pittsburgh) Pavelec played his junior hockey with the QMJHL Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. He was called up from the American League due to the groin injury suffered by Kari Lehtonen,

Injured

Kari Lehtonen (Atlanta, groin).

Back from injuries

Ray Emery (Ottawa, right wrist)

It’s been a hot week for

Tim Thomas (Boston), Marty Turco (Dallas), Josh Harding (Minnesota), Ray Emery (Ottawa), Martin Biron (Philadelphia), Curtis Sanford (Vancouver).

* Includes goalies with save percentage above 0.950.

It’s been a tough week for

Jocelyn Thibault (Buffalo), Peter Budaj (Colorado), Martin Brodeur (New Jersey), Alexander Auld (Phoenix).

* Includes goalies with save percentage below 0.850

Shutouts

Manny Fernandez (Boston), 26-save, 1-0 shootout win over the Rangers in Boston on Saturday; Pascal Leclaire (Columbus), 21 saves 3-0 shutout in Buffalo, his 3^rd of the year. Martin Biron (2), Philadelphia 31 and 38 saves shurtouts against Atlanta and New Jersey; Evgeni Nabokov, 22 saves 2-0 home shutout against Nashville.

Best and worst shootout goalies

Manny Fernandez (Boston), Mike Smith (Dallas) and Tomas Vokoun (Florida) all had perfect 3-save shootouts this week against the Rangers, the Blue Jackets and the Canadiens, respectively. On the other hand, Cam Ward (Carolina) and Niklas Backstrom (Minnesota) gave up three goals on three shots against Pittsburgh and Los Angeles respectively.

Stolen wins

The game stealers of the week are Martin Biron (2), Tim Thomas, Nikolai Khabibulin, Dwayne Roloson, Tomas Vokoun and Curtis Sanford. The steal of the week belongs to Biron and happened on Thurday when the Flyers were outshot by 20 (38-18) by the Devils but won 4-0.

* A goalie is credited with a stolen win when he wins and his team is outshot by 10 shots or more. He also has to have a 0.900 save percentage in that game.

Goalies’World rankings

in other leagues

Quebec major junior (week 5)

Marco Cousineau takes 1^st place

Marco Cousineau (18) of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, is now on top of the Goalies’World rankings of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Cousineau’s 7-3, 0.931, 1.97 record places him in front of Rafaelle d’Orso (Val d’Or). D’Orso was the leader in weeks 3 and 4. Cousineau had a solid week in two road wins (3-1, 21 shots in Moncton and 3-2, 38shots in Bathurst).

West Hockey League (week 4)

Finn Riku Helenius outstanding

Riku Helenius (19), a first round pick (15^th overall) by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2006, looks like he is in top shape after missing most of the 2006-07 season with a shoulder injury. His 4-0-1, 0.938, 1.57 record with the Seattle Thunderbirds is nearly perfect and places him on top of the Goalies’World rankings.

Ontario Hockey League (week 4)

Bulls goalies are red hot

Mike Murphy (18) of the Belleville Bulls, sits on top of the Goalies’World rankings of the Ontario Hockey League for a 2^nd consecutive week with a 5-0-0, 0.952, 1.78 record. This is very impressive since he faces 37.1 shots per game. And here is an unusual situation. Murphy’s partner, Edward Pasquale (17) ranks 2^nd with a 1-1, 0.929, 2.27 record and 32.1 shots per game. The Bulls are solid in goal.

American Hockey League (week 1)

Seven goalies in the big league

The American Hockey League activities just began its activities and we’ll wait until next week to publish our first rankings. In the mean time we can only be happy for those seven goalies who have graduated to the NHL. First, the playoffs MVP, Carey Price didn’t stay too long in the A. Two regular season games and a Calder Cup conquest with the Hamilton Bulldogs earned him a spot with the Montreal Canadiens at age 20.

Jason LaBarbera, our no.1 ranked goalie last year with the Manchester Monarchs is now with the Los Angeles Kings. Curtis McElhinney (2^nd at Goalies’Wold) is backing up Miikka Kiprusoff with the Calgary Flames since Jamie McLennan retired. Corey Crawford (3^rd) is still in the A but he is closer to the Chicago Blackhawks since their farm team is now very close in Rockford. Josh Harding (9^th at Goalies’World) is another one who is playing in the big league with the Minneosta Wild, following the departure of Manny Fernandez. Stephen Valiquete (Rangers), Dan Ellis (Nashville), Dimitri Patzold (San Jose) are also full time NHLers who were playing goal in the American League last year.