Not content with being named player of the week last week for his perfect 4-0 record, Brian Elliott is quietly racking up some very impressive numbers indeed.



This is the fifth consecutive win for the Sens goalie, and lately he has made it look easy. Not only because the defense in front of him has been solid and battling successfully for pucks, but because Elliot has found a positionally near-perfect game. Other than his spectacular save against the Hawks' Marian Hossa after bobbling the puck behind the net, Elliott has been in position quickly and efficiently and he just lets the pucks come to him. He has improved his cross-crease movement, and no longer plays too deeply in the net. He is a mechanical goalie, not a highlight reel tender, but he quietly racked up a shutout last night.

Over those five games, Elliott has faced 133 shots and allowed only five goals for a 1.00 goals against average, and a resounding .962 save percentage. It's not that he hasn't faced the shots, the Sens defense isn't that impermeable. He has been on the receiving end of an average 26.6 shots per game and allowed only one goal per game. Those are solid stats.

Yes, Pascal Leclaire can be an exciting goaltender, but I repeat that he tends to overplay the angle and challenge too much, and needs to rely on spectacle-type saves to compensate. Truth be told, he hasn't been making those spectacular saves this season. Give me a goalie who's reliable and solid without flash any day. The numbers speak for themselves