The 36-year-old has stopped 60 of 61 shots in his two starts, going 2-0-0 with a 0.50 goals-against average and .984 save percentage. He's made Claude Julien's job more difficult in terms of picking a starting netminder on a given night, but the bench boss doesn't even want to utter the words "goaltending controversy."
"All I can say is that it seems to be a problem and continues to be a problem for everybody but us," the coach said Monday. "As I mentioned before, it's an asset. It's a great situation to be in. You've got two good goaltenders and with three games this week there's a real good possibility you'll see both of them. That's where I'll leave it."
That may be where the coach is going to leave it, but it's a topic that won't be going away.
Of course, it's a situation that can't be discussed without mentioning the obvious. First and foremost, there's a small sample size for both goaltenders. Rask did give up four goals in the season opener, but he also got hung out to dry several times. A goalie can only stop so many shorthanded breakaways before the other team eventually finds the net.
Secondly, and just as importantly, Tuukka Rask is the Bruins' goalie for the next five-plus years.
While the starting job is almost assuredly still Rask's, he'll no doubt be seeing less ice time if Thomas continues to play at such a high level. Obviously, he won't be able to maintain a sub-1 GAA, but Thomas, with his new mask, pads and hip, has simply looked like his 2008-09 self thus far.
Having two No. 1 goalies, after all, is a good thing — right?
Not necessarily. Rask is still just 23 years old with just 44 NHL starts to his name. He's been outstanding, but he has a lot to learn. Those lessons can't really be learned while sitting on the bench.
Add in the fact that a goaltender is nothing without his confidence, and the Bruins could be walking a tightrope by sitting Rask down after a bad performance.
The good part, as Thomas explained in great detail on Monday, is that the two goalies have a good relationship. Because of that, there is at least the comfort of knowing there won't be locker-room problems if one player gets a start in favor of the other.
But from a pure hockey standpoint, it's worth wondering if this is a good thing for the Bruins.
If Tim Thomas is back to his Vezina form, is it a good thing for the Bruins to have two No. 1 goalies?
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Is having two No. 1 goalies really a good thing for Bruins?Market Research
