Pekka Rinne might not receive the Vezina Trophy this season, but it’s obvious to see why he was nominated. He topped the NHL in wins on the heels of signing a contract extension that will give him an NHL-high $7 million annual cap hit. He’s about as distinguished as a young goalie can get ... which is why this goal is so surprising.
Watch as Radim Vrbata lobotomizes* Rinne with a pass that James Gralian cleverly terms “reverse five hole” to set up a Martin Hanzal goal:
Rinne has already allowed four goals in two straight games with one more period to go. It’ll be interesting to see if he bounces back either in the third period or in Game 3 if Barry Trotz turns to Anders Lindback to finish tonight’s contest. Either way, the first two entries in this series will be ones that Rinne will probably want to put behind him.
* Vrbatamizes?