It is said time and time again you can’t win the Stanley Cup without great goaltending. While that doesn’t necessarily hold true every season, it does more often than not.
Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins became the 13th goalie to win the Conn Smythe Trophy last season when he backstopped his team to the championship and this season, Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings and Mike Smith of the Phoenix Coyotes are the leading contenders to win the prestigious award.
Here are this week’s top five candidates for the Conn Smythe Trophy:
JONATHAN QUICK, G, LOS ANGELES KINGS
Quick’s dream season continues. For much of this year he was the difference between winning and losing as the Kings struggled to find their offensive legs. Now that they are scoring goals more regularly, he has continued to dazzle between the pipes and ranks second among stoppers in the playoffs with a 1.55 goals-against average and .949 save percentage.
MIKE SMITH, G, PHOENIX COYOTES
For most of this season it was a two-horse race between Smith and Brian Elliott of the St. Louis Blues as to which goaltender had made the most dramatic turnaround in their careers. Now, with Elliott and the Blues dispatched, Smith continues to write a remarkable story. His two shutouts in the post-season leads all stoppers, while he ranks third in save percentage at .948 and fifth in GAA at 1.77.
DUSTIN BROWN, RW, LOS ANGELES KINGS
Not only is Brown the second highest scorer among players still active in the playoffs, the veteran captain of the Kings’ all-around game makes him one of the most dangerous skaters still chasing the Cup. His 39 hits have him ninth in the playoffs and his plus-9 ranks No. 1. Brown’s 11 points in nine games is also four more than in his previous 12 playoff games.
ILYA KOVALCHUK, LW, NEW JERSEY DEVILS
The 29-year-old veteran is really enjoying his first foray out of the first round of the playoffs and has been largely responsible to guiding the Devils in the Eastern Conference final. Kovalchuk is the highest scoring player still alive in the playoffs and is riding high on a four-game point streak during which he has scored twice and added five assists. His 5-on-5 play remains a bit of a concern as he is minus-3.
BRAD RICHARDS, C, NEW YORK RANGERS
It’s not always about points when it comes to advancing in the playoffs. Sometimes it’s about having a leader who has been there, done that. Richards was an integral part of Tampa Bay’s championship team in 2004 and has been decidedly influential in getting the Rangers to a Game 7 of the second round. With five goals and 10 points in 13 games he is fifth in playoff scoring and his 23:08 average ice time ranks third among forwards.
