Here's a stat line one rarely sees.

Dallas Stars goaltender Antti Niemi was pulled from Saturday's game against Minnesota after allowing three goals on three shots in the opening 4:01. Add it all up, and he finished with a save percentage of zero and a 44.81 goals against average.

It's only a somewhat exaggerated look at Dallas' state of affairs in net.

As a team, Dallas entered the game with a .900 save percentage, good for 26th in the NHL. And unlike in past seasons, the offense isn't firing enough to compensate for shoddy play in the defensive end.

To be fair, Niemi watched as Johnny Oduya knocked the puck into his own net on Minnesota's first goal, and didn't exactly get strong defensive support on the other two. Prior to Saturday's game, Niemi had posted a January save percentage of .938, offering signs he could be relied upon down the stretch.

Still, more than a season and a half into the Niemi / Kari Lehtonen dual starter system crafted by general manager Jim Nill, it's clear neither option is really the answer. And with the Stars sitting outside the Western Conference playoff picture, it's high time to look for a more permanent solution.

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