Who's No. 1 goalie? Boucher isn't certain
COYOTES UPDATE: Brian Boucher is expected to start in goal as the Coyotes attempt to rebound from a 4-0 loss to Calgary on Wednesday. The defeat guaranteed that the Coyotes (66 points with five games to go) will end the season with the fewest points since the franchise moved to Phoenix in 1996.
SHARKS UPDATE: San Jose, which finished 14th in the Western Conference last season, clinched a postseason berth with a 5-2 win over Detroit on Tuesday. The Sharks are 3-1-1 vs. the Coyotes.
Brian Boucher will start in goal for the Coyotes tonight against the San Jose Sharks, the next-to-last home game of the season.
The way coach Rick Bowness has been juggling Boucher and newcomer Brent Johnson, it may be the final Glendale Arena game this season for the NHL's record holder for consecutive shutouts.
Bowness reiterated on Thursday that Boucher is the No. 1 goalie, but Boucher, who has started just four of the past 10 games, isn't so sure.
"I don't know, if you're switching guys on and off, I can't see how you can say you're the No. 1 guy," said Boucher, who is 9-17-10 with a 2.70 goals-against average, but is just 3-15-6 since he capped his five straight shutouts Jan. 9. "But it's not like we've put together a winning streak. So I think they're going with if you don't win, you don't play. . . . Yeah, it's disappointing. You want to play. But when you're not winning, you don't have much to say."
Boucher has played well in his past two outings against Detroit (46 saves) and Chicago (32 saves), but has just two ties to show for it.
"I don't judge my game by wins and losses," Boucher said. "I know if I play good, even if I let in three, four goals."
Johnson, acquired from St. Louis on March 4, has pushed Boucher.
"I think he's been good for me," Boucher said. "He's very competitive. He's a solid, proven NHL goalie. When he plays well, you want to play well as well."
Those remarks sound familiar to some Boucher made earlier in the season when he was sharing playing time with Sean Burke, who was traded to Philadelphia within a month of Boucher's shutout streak. But Boucher has struggled since Burke's departure, and the team opted to acquire Johnson.
Boucher's attitude throughout an up-and-down season has impressed defenseman Paul Mara.
"I don't think there's a better way to handle the situation that he's gone through this year than he has," Mara said. "It's been a roller-coaster ride for him, and every day he's coming in with an upbeat attitude and a positive aura about him. It's a testament to his character."
Boucher doesn't plan to spend the off-season sweating out his job status.
"I'm just trying to work hard and leave with a good impression," he said. "Hopefully, that's good enough for them. If we're going to have a rotating system (next season), that's fine by me. When I play, I'm going to have to play well."
COYOTES UPDATE: Brian Boucher is expected to start in goal as the Coyotes attempt to rebound from a 4-0 loss to Calgary on Wednesday. The defeat guaranteed that the Coyotes (66 points with five games to go) will end the season with the fewest points since the franchise moved to Phoenix in 1996.
SHARKS UPDATE: San Jose, which finished 14th in the Western Conference last season, clinched a postseason berth with a 5-2 win over Detroit on Tuesday. The Sharks are 3-1-1 vs. the Coyotes.
Brian Boucher will start in goal for the Coyotes tonight against the San Jose Sharks, the next-to-last home game of the season.
The way coach Rick Bowness has been juggling Boucher and newcomer Brent Johnson, it may be the final Glendale Arena game this season for the NHL's record holder for consecutive shutouts.
Bowness reiterated on Thursday that Boucher is the No. 1 goalie, but Boucher, who has started just four of the past 10 games, isn't so sure.
"I don't know, if you're switching guys on and off, I can't see how you can say you're the No. 1 guy," said Boucher, who is 9-17-10 with a 2.70 goals-against average, but is just 3-15-6 since he capped his five straight shutouts Jan. 9. "But it's not like we've put together a winning streak. So I think they're going with if you don't win, you don't play. . . . Yeah, it's disappointing. You want to play. But when you're not winning, you don't have much to say."
Boucher has played well in his past two outings against Detroit (46 saves) and Chicago (32 saves), but has just two ties to show for it.
"I don't judge my game by wins and losses," Boucher said. "I know if I play good, even if I let in three, four goals."
Johnson, acquired from St. Louis on March 4, has pushed Boucher.
"I think he's been good for me," Boucher said. "He's very competitive. He's a solid, proven NHL goalie. When he plays well, you want to play well as well."
Those remarks sound familiar to some Boucher made earlier in the season when he was sharing playing time with Sean Burke, who was traded to Philadelphia within a month of Boucher's shutout streak. But Boucher has struggled since Burke's departure, and the team opted to acquire Johnson.
Boucher's attitude throughout an up-and-down season has impressed defenseman Paul Mara.
"I don't think there's a better way to handle the situation that he's gone through this year than he has," Mara said. "It's been a roller-coaster ride for him, and every day he's coming in with an upbeat attitude and a positive aura about him. It's a testament to his character."
Boucher doesn't plan to spend the off-season sweating out his job status.
"I'm just trying to work hard and leave with a good impression," he said. "Hopefully, that's good enough for them. If we're going to have a rotating system (next season), that's fine by me. When I play, I'm going to have to play well."
