Two of the NHL's top goalies go head to head on Saturday as Tuukka Rask's Boston Bruins visit Sergei Bobrovsky and the Columbus Blue Jackets. Prior to the game, Rask told the Boston Herald he regards Bobrovsky as a great example of the new "hybrid" goalie.
He’s not the typical Russian goalie. Most of the Russians who come out now are pretty technical. He’s a butterfly goalie, but he’s also pretty athletic. He can make that amazing save when needed.
Goalies have to be athletic and in good shape, especially the way (the NHL is) cutting down our gear every year. It seems to get smaller every year. So you have to be athletic and be more of a hybrid than just trying to cut your angles and be big. Bobrovsky is very good at both.
The two teams will play for the first time since Columbus moved over to the Eastern Conference, and Rask expects a tough test.
They’ve got some depth there now, they’ve gotten better over the years, they’re more respectable in the league I think. Their offense is pretty dangerous. They’ve got some good young guys coming up and their goaltending is good. So there’s no reason to take them lightly — even though we don’t know much about them.
Both goalies remain firmly on track to be in the Vezina conversation this season.
