And we're not with Hutton.
Honestly, do you guys think Mason was this bad?
Mason in his first two starts was solid last season, in his third got shelled let everything in. His fourth start didn't come until the playoffs were a pipe dream and we skated too many AHL kids. It's easy to blame the goalie when he is but one of many factors in most goals scored against.
The last game vs the Jets and the season opener at StL had a few similarities that I noticed ... both times goalies let in 3 goals quick, the team was defensively lax early, both times we generated a lot of shots but not enough net presence or rebound control in the offensive end to capitalize on numerous chances that were there. Pavalec allowed juicy rebounds all night with a gaping net to shoot at ... our skaters didn't take advantage of the ones the Jets defense didn't collect. Their skaters did take advantage of the ones both Hutton and Mazanec left.
Hutton does leave a lot of rebounds and he's let in a few that he really needs to stop. Some of the goals he allowed, Rinnie
might stop on a good night but end up in the net most times. Others are in the net no matter who wears the pads.
No matter which guy starts tonight, the team defense needs to tighten up. We can't keep letting d-men get clear blasts from the point (something other teams figured out when playing us) ... can't keep allowing breakaways with an open man on the backside to tap in into an open net .... can't keep letting forwards get open in the low slot for cross ice passes and rebound tap ins .... all common factors in the losses with both Rinne and Hutton in net.
