Inside the NHL

One-man Show  

Thanks to goalie José Théodore's heroics, surprising Montreal looks playoff-bound

By Daniel G. Habib

Should the Canadiens earn the Eastern Conference's final playoff berth -- through Sunday, Montreal held a five-point lead over the Capitals with four games to play -- goaltender José (pronounced joe-SAY) Théodore will be the reason. In his fifth NHL season Théodore, 25, has backstopped a mediocre team to the brink of a surprising postseason berth and has thrust himself into contention for the Hart and Vezina trophies. There's little question that the talent-challenged Canadiens (35-29-12-3) comprise José and the pussycats.

With an NHL-leading .931 save percentage, Théodore is a contender for the Hart Trophy. David E. Klutho

After stopping 34 shots in a 3-1 victory over the Senators on Sunday, Théodore (29-23-10) had the NHL's top save percentage (.931) and fourth-best goals-against average (2.10), despite having faced 1,911 shots, second-most in the league. Without the benefit of a reliable backup for much of the season -- veteran Jeff Hackett had missed 35 games and is sidelined for the rest of the season with a dislocated left shoulder -- Théodore has thrived under a heavy workload. No stretch has been better for him than the last month: Since March 8 Théodore had appeared in 16 consecutive games and allowed 1.68 goals per game while amassing a .949 save percentage.

Théodore was a training partner of the Devils' Martin Brodeur, who is four years his elder, when both were students at Vladislav Tretiak's Montreal goaltenders' academy in the late 1980s. Brodeur and Théodore often worked on drills privately with Tretiak, and both worked as instructors for him years later. Brodeur and Théodore, fellow Quebecers, stayed in touch during their early years in the NHL and met in the first round of the '97 playoffs. Although New Jersey won the series in five games, Théodore flashed his talent in his postseason debut, stopping 56 shots during a 4-3 triple-overtime win in Game 4. "I remember when Marty was first called up ['91-92]," Théodore says. "I was, like, 'Wow, you're in the NHL,' and then a few years later I was facing him in the playoffs."

That performance revealed Théodore's tremendous promise, but it took three seasons of shuttling between the NHL and the American Hockey League before he became consistent enough to stick. In 59 games last year Théodore had a 2.57 goals-against average and demonstrated that he could be a cornerstone player. This year coach Michel Therrien built his club around Théodore, using a trapping defensive system. Montreal gets even more conservative when it has a lead, icing more often than a baker. The Canadiens' emphasis on protecting early leads had translated into late-game success: When ahead after two periods, Montreal was 23-5-3.

"The main thing for us is to play consistently," says Théodore, who was the 44th player chosen in the 1994 draft. "Any letdown is going to cost us. If we stick to the system -- playing a patient game, waiting for our chances, playing well in our own end -- we'll be fine."

Issue date: April 15, 2002

For more Inside the NHL see this week's issue of Sports Illustrated, on newsstands Wednesday, April 10. Click here to subscribe to SI.

 

Related information
Stories
Inside Baseball Inside the NBA SI Online: Current Issue and Archives
Multimedia
Visit Video Plus for the latest audio and video
Search our site	Watch CNN/SI 24 hours a day
	Sports Illustrated and CNN have combined to form a 24 hour sports news and information channel. To receive CNN/SI at your home call your cable operator or DirecTV.