Hockey [Cage Match Tournament] #1 Smith vs. #4 Backstrom

[metaldude26]

This is the second batch of our Round Two matchups in the Cage Match Tournament. Last week featured our second upset of the tournament so don't be shy in picking an underdog. Just remember that you are voting based on a one-year league with scoring categories being: Wins, GAA, Save% and Shutouts.

May the best goalie win.

#1 Ryan Miller vs. #5 Craig Anderson
#2 Jaroslav Halak vs. #3 Jimmy Howard
#2 Cam Ward vs. #3 Roberto Luongo

[Axeman33]

If I was confident in Backstroms ability to stay healthy he would have got my vote but unfortunately he doesnt.

[kevinsrangers]

finally some love for smith.

[DerekReese]

Mike Smith for me boss.

[bondon]

Hopefully Smith doesn't regress (a lot that is) this season.

[ericdaoust]

Originally Posted by bondon

Hopefully Smith doesn't regress (a lot that is) this season.

Even if he does, it beats a goalie in a body cast.

[metaldude26]

Forget Backstrom for a minute. The sheer mass of votes going in Smith's direction means that the fantasy world thinks he is legit, or at least that Tippet and Burke are legit. Either way, this scares me.

[bondon]

Originally Posted by metaldude26

Forget Backstrom for a minute. The sheer mass of votes going in Smith's direction means that the fantasy world thinks he is legit, or at least that Tippet and Burke are legit. Either way, this scares me.

Or that people don't trust Backstrom in a one-year setting health-wise...when he's already injured and there is a risk of a condensed season and Harding and Hackett waiting in the wings to steal starts lol.

Buzzkillington refuses to forget about Backstrom for a minute!

I like Backstrom as a goalie but even I'm getting wary about the situation for this year.

[ericdaoust]

Originally Posted by metaldude26

Forget Backstrom for a minute. The sheer mass of votes going in Smith's direction means that the fantasy world thinks he is legit, or at least that Tippet and Burke are legit. Either way, this scares me.

Smith is clearly a system goalie but vs Backstrom I can't put my vote anywhere but in Smith's column. Put him against a more elite goalie and you will get a different response.

[Fast Tony DeNiro]

I went with Smith, and I'm not even sure I buy that he's "clearly a system goalie". I didn't get to watch much Phoenix during the season, but I saw enough games, and then I watched all of their playoff games. For a "system goalie", Smith sure had to stop a lot off odd-man rushes, plus the sheer number of shots Phoenix gave up last season (I think the 4th most?).

I buy into Smith as a good goalie. He was a top prospect when he was younger, is it at all possible he made good on that promise just a couple years later than expected? Sure he was awful in Tampa two years ago, but so was the entire team....they scored goals but a breaking down, 33 year old Mattias Ohlund was their #1 defenseman. Smith was still bad but he didn't have a ton of help. The year before Smith played pretty well on an even worse Lightning team.

So ya, my vote isn't even so much from lack of faith in Backstrom, as it is I just think Smith is good.