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Label doesn't fit Bolts goalie Niittymaki

The Associated Press

Niittymaki is 4-1-2 with a 1.95 goals-against average and an NHL-best .940 save percentage.

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By TONY FABRIZIO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 11, 2009

Updated: 11/11/2009 12:50 am

BRANDON - As well as he played last year for the Flyers, and as rock solid as he has been this year for the Lightning, Antero Niittymaki probably deserves a better label than "streaky goalie."

The 29-year-old Finn of few carefully chosen words deflects the characterization with a dose of pragmatism.

"Every goalie is streaky," he said. "Trust me."

Point being, starting goalies get to play through tough spells. Backups don't always enjoy the luxury. Hence, the label.

"Everybody gets hot, everybody gets cold," Niittymaki said. "But I've been pretty much backing up the last couple of years, so when you're hot, they play you, and when you have a bad game, you sit on the bench the next two or three weeks.

"And everybody says, 'Oh, he cooled off.' But the thing is, he never got a chance to get back in there."

The Lightning have only seen the good stuff from Niittymaki, who is 4-1-2 with a 1.95 goals-against average and an NHL-best (entering Tuesday's play) .940 save percentage. In his last five games, his GAA is 1.48.

Coach Rick Tocchet concedes "you'd be crazy not to go with the hot hand" in Thursday night's home game against the Wild, even though No. 1 man Mike Smith has been good at the Forum.

Tocchet, while allowing that Niittymaki is "seeing the puck like a basketball," says he sees nothing in his style of play that suggests streaky play.

"He doesn't look to me like a guy that's just hot and cold," Tocchet said. "To me, the way he plays square to the puck, his movement in the crease ... I would just think he's a solid goalie."

Lightning goaltending coach Cap Raeder, who followed Niittymaki's development as a pro scout for the Sharks, agrees.

"The only thing that held him back were his injuries," Raeder said. "He's always been sound fundamentally. He has a great foundation, and now he's being rewarded for going through the whole developmental process."

Although 62-61-23 overall, Niittymaki was 15-8-8 with a 2.76 GAA last year for the Flyers. His recent play has conjured memories of the 2006 Olympics, when he helped Finland win the silver medal with three shutouts and was named tournament MVP.

The "streaky goalie" label doesn't bother Raeder.

"Well, if he's streaky, I say let him keep the streak going," he said.

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