New York Islanders training camp has featured a good old-fashioned fight for the starting goaltender gig.
Thomas Greiss made his first start of the preseason Monday, and recorded a shutout against a New Jersey Devils split-squad lineup. He's now played the same amount of time as Jaroslav Halak, and both have been solid.
| Player | # of periods | Shots against | Saves | Save % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halak | 5 | 57 | 56 | .982 |
| Greiss | 5 | 43 | 42 | .977 |
"Our goaltenders have led the charge in training camp," head coach Doug Weight said Monday. "I'm pretty excited about that part of the game."
It's certainly an encouraging sign for a team that finished 17th with a .909 overall save percentage last season and fell just short of a playoff spot.
For Halak in particular, it's been a return to the form he displayed last spring after being recalled from an AHL stint of almost three months. That came after he was placed on waivers and went unclaimed in January, but Halak subsequently found his game with Bridgeport and almost helped the club clinch a late postseason berth.
It remains to be seen who will emerge as the top option in New York this season, but as Pittsburgh demonstrated in 2016-17, it doesn't hurt to have multiple starters around.
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