Clock ticks on Huet; plus rising Stars, key to the Avs, more

If you're willing to take Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville at face value, the decision to go with backup Antti Niemi against Edmonton on Wednesday night was all about getting the rookie a start in front of the home crowd. After backstopping the team to a franchise-record five-goal comeback win over the Flames in relief, the kid had earned his shot.

At least, that's what coach Q said before adding that no, there was no goalie controversy in Chicago.

Right. Just like there's nothing fishy about the Balloon Boy story.

Look, most times a backup's start is just a backup's start. With the compressed schedule and the need for rest and a little fine-tuning of the starter's game, they're bound to happen, usually against the widows and orphans and Nashville Predators of the league.

This time? No matter what words came out of Quenneville's mouth, the decision to go with Niemi sure felt like a vote of non-confidence in Cristobal Huet. After all, the Oilers weren't just any opponent. The visitors were dressing Nikolai Khabibulinthe same goalie who led the Hawks to the Western Conference Final last spring before defecting to Edmonton in free agency. The same goalie who'd been hurt by Chicago's signing of Huet the previous summer and was gunning to prove they stuck with the wrong man.

Chicago ended up winning the game, 4-3, but there was no doubt about the best netminder on the ice. Niemi was fine, but Khabibulin delivered a playoff-caliber performance, snuffing a Patrick Sharp penalty shot and breakaway bids by Jonathan Toews and Kris Versteeg among his 34 saves.

No matter how the Hawks spun the decision, it sure looked as if they were protecting Huet from having to beat his predecessor. If all that mattered were the two points, maybe it was the right call. But after allowing three goals on five shots in that disastrous performance against Calgary, the man Quenneville called "our No. 1 guy" badly needed to get back on the horse.

If Huet plays against the Oilers and delivers the win, then he's got something to build on. Instead, the team tossed him a cap, told him to sit on his highly-compensated backside, and tapped an understudy whose resume included appearances in five NHL games.

Huet had something to prove and Quenneville trusted him only to open the bench gate. He was back on the ice for the victory Thursday night over Nashville, but that was the same result any spare-to-fair goalie would have achieved against the pop-gun Preds. Holding that team to one goal on 13 shots got him the win, but even Stuart Smalley wouldn't say it proved Huet's good enough to carry the mail.

"He could be a little bit better," Quenneville admitted after the Nashville game. "Goaltenders are under a lot of scrutiny, but it's not like he's terrible or playing bad. He's been okay. There's another level, but I don't think the alarm button should be sounded."