John Gibson is healthy and ready to lead the charge.
The Anaheim Ducks goaltender, who's appeared in only two games since aggravating a lower-body injury on March 10, feels he's shown enough over the course of the season to merit entering the playoffs as the team's clear starter.
"It's like I didn't forget how to play, right?," he asked tongue-in-cheek, per Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register. "Just had an injury. Came back a little too soon the first time. Now everything's pretty good."
The thing is, Jonathan Bernier was fantastic in relief of Gibson, making a case for meaningful playing time down the stretch and even in the postseason.
Here's how the two have performed this season:
| Player | Games | Record | Save % | Shutouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Gibson | 51 | 24-16-9 | .922 | 5 |
| Jonathan Bernier | 38 | 20-7-4 | .917 | 2 |
And it's not as if Gibson is showing any rust since his return, stopping 60 of 64 shots against in April for a save percentage of .938.
Bernier did indeed fill in admirably, but the crease clearly belongs to Gibson moving forward.
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