Welcome to the second in-season edition of theScore's 2023-24 Vezina Trophy rankings, a monthly look at the top goaltenders in the NHL.

This list features two newcomers and a new No. 1. A few of these top five weren't remotely considered Vezina Trophy candidates before the start of the season, but the data at this point doesn't lie. There's plenty of runway left for the usual suspects to climb the ranks, but until then, it's time to give some underdogs their flowers.

GSAA = Goals saved above average
GSAx = Goals saved above expected

5. Jeremy Swayman, Bruins

Previous rank: 2nd

Last month, we wondered whether Swayman is on track to usurp Linus Ullmark as Boston's No. 1 goalie. Since then, he's made one extra start than his partner in the crease and posted better numbers. It's still a pretty even split between the pipes in Boston, but Swayman is pushing to earn more ice time with his fantastic play.

Past the quarter mark of the season, the 25-year-old ranks second in save percentage among all netminders to make at least 10 starts while sitting fourth in GSAA and seventh in GSAx.

4. Cam Talbot, Kings

Previous rank: N/A

Talbot looks like the signing of the season after joining the Kings on a one-year, $1-million deal. They've been chasing reliable goaltending for years, and Talbot's emergence is a key reason Los Angeles looks like a legitimate Stanley Cup contender with the NHL's third-highest points percentage (.750).

Injuries derailed a forgettable stint in Ottawa, but Talbot looks better than ever in Hollywood. He's won eight of his last 10 starts with a .945 clip over that span and ranks fourth overall for the season in save percentage and third in GSAA. Questions about the 36-year-old's longevity are legitimate, but for the time being, Talbot is firmly in the mix.

3. Thatcher Demko, Canucks

Previous rank: 1st

Demko's cooled off considerably compared to the contemporaries in front of him this month, going 5-5-0 with an .889 save percentage since our first in-season rankings on Nov. 8. Peaks and valleys are to be expected, but a brief cold spell has taken Vancouver's top dog out of the top spot for the time being. His body of work this season has been remarkable, so a demotion on our list means very little in his quest to collect some hardware next summer.

Demko's still among the league leaders in all our statistical categories and is the main reason why Vancouver is trending toward a playoff spot. He's also logged more minutes (1,121:50) than any goalie to make these rankings, and Vezina voters traditionally favor a workhorse.

2. Connor Ingram, Coyotes

Previous rank: N/A

The Coyotes are in the thick of the Western Conference playoff picture through 25 games - and they have Ingram to thank. The 2016 Lightning pick, who entered the season with 29 NHL starts to his name, has been one of the league's best stories early in 2023-24 thanks to his unforeseen dominance.

Ingram has been scorching hot since our last rankings, going 7-2-0 with a .936 save percentage and two shutouts. The 26-year-old has managed 9.81 GSAA and 14.25 GSAx in the past month and now leads the league in the latter. Perhaps most impressively, Ingram has shined against some of the league's best teams, beating Vegas, Tampa Bay, Colorado, and Washington over the past two weeks.

1. Adin Hill, Golden Knights

Previous rank: 4th

Hill had a lot to prove this season after leading the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup six months ago. Many wondered if he could carry his springtime magic into the new campaign. So far, so good for the 27-year-old, who's been unflappable to begin the 2023-24 campaign and looks like a bargain after signing for $4.9 million per season.

He benefits from playing behind a deep Vegas defensive corps - backup Logan Thompson is posting sterling numbers this season, too - but Hill has yet to lose consecutive appearances and paces the league in goals against average, save percentage, and GSAA. Hill ranks 20th among netminders in minutes logged so far, but the NHL handed the Vezina to Ullmark after the Swede posted similar numbers in limited playing time last season. There's no arguing Hill has established himself among the league's elite in goal.

Honorable mentions: Jake Oettinger (Stars), Tristan Jarry (Penguins), Igor Shesterkin (Rangers)

(Stats source: Evolving-Hockey)

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New York Islanders coach Lane Lambert was feeling a little biblical after his team fumbled a three-goal lead en route to a 5-4 overtime loss to the woeful San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.

"We had the game under control with eight and a half minutes left," the bench boss bemoaned postgame. "To lose that hockey game is sin."

The Islanders held a 4-1 advantage midway through the third period, but Sharks winger Kevin Labanc cut into the deficit with a tip-in 12 minutes into the frame.

All was quiet until the final three minutes of the game when Tomas Hertl scored twice in a 1:41 span with the goalie pulled to complete his first hat trick of the season. William Eklund struck in the dying seconds of overtime to secure the Sharks' improbable comeback victory.

The Islanders dominated everywhere but the scoresheet during the defeat, dictating 69.8% of the scoring chances and 68.7% of the expected goals at five-on-five while outshooting San Jose 37-32 at all strengths, per Natural Stat Trick.

New York has been outscored 34-17 in the third period so far this campaign. Tuesday's collapse marked the sixth time this season the Isles have surrendered three goals in the final frame.

Islanders forward Brock Nelson described his team's play versus San Jose as "unacceptable," according to Newsday's Andrew Gross, while captain Anders Lee was displeased with New York's lack of execution.

"This is our game sometimes, unfortunately," Lee said. "We played a really good hockey game and messed it all up in the last four minutes. Just unhappy with this, it just can't happen anymore. We really gotta figure this out."

The Sharks, meanwhile, were far more jubilant after improving to 7-17-2 on the campaign.

"I couldn't be prouder of them and I couldn't be happier for them," head coach David Quinn said, per NBC Sports. "There's a lot of real happy faces in there tonight and there have been a lot of happy faces lately."

Hertl seemed to be feeling particularly loose coming off the heels of his three-goal outing.

"I would lie if I don't like f-----g (scoring) - sorry - if I don't like to score a hat trick," he said, according to San Jose Hockey Now's Sheng Peng.

The Islanders fell to 10-7-7 on the campaign with the loss, good for fourth place in the Metropolitan Division. Their next opportunity to turn things around will come Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

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The NHL is still working toward making its return to the Olympics for the 2026 Games in Milan, but commissioner Gary Bettman expressed some apprehension about construction progress for the Italian arena Tuesday.

"Not insignificantly, they have a lot of work to do," Bettman said at the league's board of governors meetings, according to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.

"I don't think they've actually begun construction on it, which is a matter of some concern. We know it's important to the players to go and we want to make it happen. We're going to be as flexible as we can, but at some point, we've got to do a schedule for that season."

Bettman noted he's not worried about reaching deals with the International Olympic Committee or IIHF on previous roadblocks that have kept the NHL from participating in the Games, including insurance and accommodations for families.

"You know, normally when you build a building for the Olympics for a hockey tournament, it's done a year in advance, it's done a year in advance and you have time to have events and test it and build the ice," Bettman said.

"They're projecting that it won’t be done until the fourth quarter of '25, which is like six or eight weeks before the Olympics - if they're on time. And I think they're already late. But that’s nothing we can control."

The NHL sent its players to five Olympics from 1998 to 2014 but didn't do so in 2018 or 2022. The league and its players' association agreed to participate in the 2022 and 2026 Games as part of the 2020 collective bargaining agreement, but the pandemic prevented the world's best from suiting up in Beijing.

The head of the IIHF said in January he would like an answer from the NHL about the 2026 Olympics by the spring of 2024.

Deputy commissioner Bill Daly admitted the current arena situation isn't ideal, but there are alternative options if the Milan rink isn't done in time.

"Going to the Olympics without participating in the Olympic experience is a problem, I would think," he said. "But it's ongoing, it's been productive. I can't say I'm pessimistic at all."

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Buffalo Sabres star Tage Thompson returned from injury Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings.

Thompson missed nine games with an upper-body ailment. He suffered the injury on Nov. 14 against the Boston Bruins when he blocked a shot with his hand.

Thompson had six goals and six assists in 16 games prior to his return.

The 6-foot-6 sniper was in an unusual spot during Tuesday's game. Rather than centering the top line, Thompson played right wing with Jeff Skinner and Casey Mittelstadt.

Moving from wing to center helped propel Thompson's breakout campaign in 2021-22 when he potted 38 goals. He followed that up with 47 tallies last season. Since the start of 2021-22, Thompson ranks 11th among NHL skaters with 91 goals.

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The home cookin’ begins! The Canucks start their 5-game home stand versus the Devils, and it’s Hughes vs Hughes & Hughes. Matt and Blake preview the game, plus, they get into the Jim Benning legacy on the two-year anniversary of his departure.

John Shannon stops by with his weekly look at news around the NHL, including the latest from the Board of Governors meetings in Seattle. John talks about the salary cap number for ’24-’25, the Zadorov trade from Calgary and who else might be leaving, not to mention the magic of the Hughes family. All this, plus a brand new edition of the "Welcome Matt." Presented by Applewood Auto Group.

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