One team has a goaltending mystery. The other does not.
The Blue Jackets know they'll have Sergei Bobrovsky in goal to begin their first-round series against the Washington Capitals, which kicks off Thursday night at Capital One Arena in D.C.
On the other side, though, there's uncertainty.
Braden Holtby has been nearly as strong this season as he's been in the past, which has opened the door for 26-year-old German-born backup Philipp Grubauer. Grubauer played 35 games in 2017-18, 11 more than his previous career high, and made 28 starts (also a new career high).
Capitals coach Barry Trotz said Monday that he knows who's starting Game 1 against the Blue Jackets, but his players don't yet know.
#Caps goalies Philipp Grubauer and Braden Holtby say they havent been told whos starting Game 1 vs. #CBJ.
— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) April 9, 2018
A comparison of the two Washington goalies shows why there's been a controversy in the net:
| PLAYER | GP | GS | W | L | OT/SO | GAA | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHILIPP GRUBAUER | 35 | 28 | 15 | 10 | 3 | 2.35 | .923 |
| BRADEN HOLTBY | 54 | 54 | 34 | 16 | 4 | 2.99 | .907 |
You'd look at Holtby's record and think "no big deal, right?" but his numbers paint a different picture. The Capitals bail out their goaltenders more than most teams with a dynamic offense, and a .907 save percentage means they've had to score plenty of goals to get Holtby to 34 wins.
We'll find out soon enough whether it's Holtby or Grubauer in Game 1.
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