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You can call me a lot of things and it will roll right off my back, but 'casual hockey fan' is not on the list.
I do not have the final numbers for this year, but in the last fifteen years of Cup winning goalies Mr Osgood's playoff save percentage was, well it was 14th place. Yes, in 1998 he won the cup with a 0.918 save percentage, only Barasso won with a lower save percentage (0.907 in 1992). Over the same period of the fifteen losing goalies nine had better save percentages, that places Osgood 23rd place of the 30 goalies making the Stanely Cup final.
Seasonal save percentage? Osgood was in 12th place of the same 30 goalies.
Career save percentage? 15th place of 30 goalies.
I have no axe to grind with any team. I am simply a fan. But his numbers do not stand up to scrutiny the way Roy and Brodeur's do, they don't shout 'great goalie'. He made the saves as needed and he won, I know that.
You don't win a cup without great goaltending? Tom Barraso won two cups, one with a pitiful 0.907 save percentage and 0.885 seasonal save percentage (both in 1992). He had a woeful 0.892 career save percentage. Hardly 'great goaltending'.
The best team wins the cup. Sometimes the goalie just has to be there.
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