The Maple Leafs kept taking shot after shot on Monday. Islanders goalie Dwayne Roloson kept making save after save.
When the dust settled, the Islanders had a 4-3 overtime win and Roloson had 58 saves. It was the most saves since Ron Tugnutt stopped 70 shots for Quebec on March 21, 1991.
"I don't ever remember a game like that," said Maple Leafs forward Phil Kessel, who had 12 shots on Roloson and was one of three players to actually beat the Islanders netminder. "I don't even know what to say after something like that."
Islanders coach Scott Gordon wasn't short on words after the win.
"Roloson was outstanding," Gordon said. "We didn't tell Dwayne, but we figured as long as they didn't hit 70 shots, we'd be alright."
In standard Fantasy formats, Roloson amassed 11.6 points on the 58 saves alone. That's definitely unheard of production for one night.
We dare Roloson to have another game like Monday, but Gordon probably wishes his netminder never has to face that onslaught again because it means his defense isn't getting the job done.
Roloson is no stranger to big games or standout performances. He is a 12-year veteran of the NHL and was instrumental in getting Edmonton to the Stanley Cup Finals at the end of the 2006-07 season. He won 12 games in 18 outings that postseason, but fell one victory short in a seven-game series against Carolina.
That would really be the last time Roloson was center stage in the NHL before Monday. He had an abysmal 2007-08 campaign and was eventually replaced by Mathieu Garon in net for the Oilers. Roloson then began the 2008-09 season as a backup to Garon and while also trying to fend off rookie Jeff Deslauriers before eventually winning back his starting job. He finished with 28 wins in 63 appearances.
Roloson had a little extra motivation last season since he was in the final year of his contract. He had hoped the Oilers would bring him back in 2009-10; unfortunately, they only wanted to ink him to a one-year deal. That sent Roloson to the free-agent market, where he spent mere hours before the Islanders scooped him up with a two-year deal on July 1.
The initial plan was for Roloson to back up Rick DiPietro, but when DiPietro was slow to recover from knee surgery, New York added Martin Biron to share time in net with Roloson until DiPietro was healthy.
Neither goalie got off to a great start this season, but Roloson has given the Islanders a better chance to win. He is 7-2-5 in 14 appearances with Biron at 2-6-2 in 11 outings.
While there is a ton of buzz around Roloson after Monday, we caution Fantasy owners not to make any drastic roster decisions.
DiPietro had his first full practice with the team on Tuesday and Gordon said the team's franchise goalie is "right on track." Gordon didn't elaborate any further and New York still doesn't have a return date for DiPietro, but the writing on the wall is clear -- DiPietro is the Islanders' starter when healthy.
That leaves Roloson and Biron with a bit of an uncertain future. The Islanders are likely to trade one of the goalies once they are confident DiPietro is 100 percent. We believe it will be Biron since he wants to play on a regular basis and signed only a one-year deal. Also, as we said before, Roloson has looked better in net.
The 40-year-old Roloson realizes Monday's performance could be hard to top by any goalie this season or for the next two decades as history has shown us, but whether he starts or plays in a backup role his goal remains the same -- win.
"To me, it's just another night, another game," Roloson said. "It doesn't matter to me whether it's one shot or 100 shots, I've got to do the same things, try to give my team a chance to win."
Add 'Em
Filip Kuba, D, Ottawa
Owned: 45 percent of leagues
Analysis: Kuba has managed three assists in each of his last two games and eight points during a three-game point streak. He is up to 10 assists and 11 points in 13 games. He was kind of sluggish to begin the season because of a lower-body injury, but his recent hot streak assures us he is back to 100 percent. One facet of coach Cory Clouston's system that is a must is a puck-moving defenseman. Ottawa hoped it would be rookie Erik Karlsson, but he failed miserably before being demoted to the minors. Chris Campoli was another candidate after he did so well for Clouston last season, but his play has also gone south. Now, it seems the job has fallen to Kuba. He is logging heavy power-play time and his assist totals are quickly rising. Kuba is definitely a better passer than scorer and has 30-40-point ability. The only concern we have is that Kuba is sometimes an up-and-down player. Still, his numbers level out in the end and he is not a bad buy-low Fantasy candidate.
Claude Giroux, RW, Philadelphia
Owned: 66 percent of leagues
Analysis: No one was more disappointed with Giroux's slow start than us. We had him pegged for a breakout season after his strong finish in 2008-09. The subtractions of Mike Knuble and Joffrey Lupul also meant more scoring chances for the second-year winger. He finished October with one goal and four points in 11 games. Fantasy owners started dropping Giroux left and right. Well, now you can be an opportunistic owner and add a forward on the rise. Giroux has only two goals in November, but he has managed a point in seven of 10 games and has 11 points for the month. He has become a consistent top-six forward and has really played well since Simon Gagne exited the lineup with an injury. This run should help get Giroux's confidence up and get his career back on track.
Steve Sullivan, LW, Nashville
Owned: 48 percent of leagues
Analysis: Sullivan was pretty much in the same boat as Giroux. He was coming off a big second half in 2008-09 and Fantasy owners drafted him in more than 60 percent of leagues. Unfortunately, he scored only twice in 13 October contests. A lot of his poor production had to do with the Predators' top line not being intact. Jason Arnott and J.P. Dumont spent a lot of time nursing injuries. But both players have been healthy the last few weeks and the Predators are winning thanks to their top line. It definitely shows in Sullivan's numbers with three goals and three assists during a five-game point streak. Sullivan was slow to start last season when he returned from a nasty back injury, but by season's end he was a point-per-game threat. He is another guy worth buying at a low price since he could be a staple in your Fantasy lineup the rest of the season.
Drop 'Em
Matt Gilroy, D, N.Y. Rangers
Owned: 30 percent of leagues
Analysis: Two of the biggest newcomers Fantasy owners were tracking in the offseason both played for Boston University last season -- Colin Wilson and Matt Gilroy. Sadly to say, both players have come up way short of expectations. Wilson has been sent to the minors since he has had a hard time overcoming a groin injury. Gilroy remains with the Rangers, but the offensive production he is providing is minimal. He has just three goals and five points in 23 games, yet he is owned in nearly a third of Fantasy leagues. We have nothing against Gilroy in the long run, but he is playing exactly how a rookie blueliner should. It doesn't help his case that his power-play time is sporadic. Don't forget that the undrafted rookie had a poor first year at Boston University before he hit his stride late in his college career.
Todd White, C, Atlanta
Owned: 27 percent of leagues
Analysis: It was a little shocking to see White drafted in only 54 percent of leagues to begin the season since he posted a career-high 73 points in 2008-09. But we give Fantasy owners their credit for being clairvoyant. The addition of Nik Antropov and the continued development of Rich Peverley has taken White from being a top-line center to the Thrashers' third line. He has only nine points (three goals) in 20 games and his offense is definitely unreliable. He is logging power-play minutes, but his impact is not what it was last season since the complexion of the Thrashers' offense has changed. The team is also getting a nice offensive boost from their blue line, which is taking some of the pressure off their forwards.
Avoid 'Em
Niklas Hagman, RW, Toronto
Owned: 25 percent of leagues
Analysis: Hagman leads the Maple Leafs with nine goals through the team's first 22 games and that is even with him being a healthy scratch for one contest. But we caution Fantasy owners that he won't end the season as the team's top scorer. Phil Kessel is coming up fast after missing the first month recovering from shoulder surgery and Alexei Ponikarovsky is a better talent than Hagman. Also, Hagman had 33 percent of his goals in one game this season -- a hat trick on Oct. 26 -- so his numbers are a bit inflated. We understand the allure with Hagman. He is a top-six forward with Toronto and on pace for a career-high 33 goals. But he just isn't the exciting or reliable scorer his numbers make him out to be.
Mike Modano, C, Dallas
Owned: 14 percent of leagues
Analysis: Modano is one of those cases that when he goes on a hot streak, Fantasy owners flock to waivers to add him since he is a familiar name. He has missed a lot of time this season due to injury, but when he has been healthy, he has produced three goals and five points in 10 games. Not bad for a 20-year vet. Unfortunately, Modano's best days are behind him. He is the team's third best center behind Brad Richards and Mike Ribeiro. He is pretty much on the roster since he is a great mentor for some of the younger Stars. We much rather add a promising young forward with an unproven track record than add Modano in Fantasy.
Watch 'Em
Shawn Horcoff, C, Edmonton
Owned: 30 percent of leagues
Analysis: Ever since Horcoff returned from missing four games with a shoulder injury, he has been a man on a mission. He has three goals and three assists during a five-game point streak. He had all of two goals and three assists in his first 15 games. This is an encouraging development since Horcoff has really been off his offensive game since going down with a season-ending shoulder injury in 2007-08. Horcoff continues to dominant in the faceoff circle, but Edmonton has been desperately been waiting for his offensive game to come around. They would love to stick him on the top line between Dustin Penner and Ales Hemsky and let that line go to work. This latest streak for Horcoff could give Edmonton the confidence they need to trust him on a regular basis. But we aren't going to buy the farm until Horcoff has long-term success.
Carlo Colaiacovo, D, St. Louis
Owned: 18 percent of leagues
Analysis: Colaiacovo has played just 13 games this season due to injury, but when he has been on the ice his production has been great. He has two goals and eight points in 13 games. It's not a surprise since St. Louis' blue line is filled with defenders. That is allowing Colaiacovo to be an offensive-first weapon. He is logging steady power-play minutes and with five points during a three-game point streak he definitely looks past his injury woes. Don't forget that Colaiacovo was a first-round pick in 2001. He had good offensive skills as a junior hockey player and held his own in the minors. But he never really came out of his shell in the NHL until the team that drafted him -- Toronto -- traded Colaiacovo to the Blues last season. St. Louis has allowed Colaiacovo to develop. He is not a bad buy in larger Fantasy formats, but before we start heavily recommend adding him, like with Horcoff, we want to see a stable track record.
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