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Goalie Woes: NHL Teams With Hardships In Net

By Catherine Silverman

November 23, 2014; Anaheim, CA, USA; Arizona Coyotes goalie Mike Smith (41) blocks a shot against Anaheim Ducks defenseman Hampus Lindholm (47) during the second period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
November 23, 2014; Anaheim, CA, USA; Arizona Coyotes goalie Mike Smith (41) blocks a shot against Anaheim Ducks defenseman Hampus Lindholm (47) during the second period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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1. San Jose Sharks

Nov 16, 2014; Raleigh, NC, USA; San Jose Sharks goalie Troy Grosenick (34) looks on before the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. The San Jose Sharks defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 2-0. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 16, 2014; Raleigh, NC, USA; San Jose Sharks goalie Troy Grosenick (34) looks on before the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. The San Jose Sharks defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 2-0. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports /

Starting netminder: Antti Niemi

The San Jose Sharks find themselves in an interesting situation.

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The team started the season with the netminding duties being somewhat split between two goalies — Antti Niemi and Alex Stalock.

Niemi has been good enough, but not capable of starting game after game with no pause– and when Stalock was placed on injured reserve, the team was lucky enough to find a keeper in AHL netminder Troy Grosenick.

Grosenick made two starts as Niemi’s number two, recording a 45-save shutout in his NHL debut and then allowing three goals on thirteen shots against the Buffalo Sabres, before — you guessed it — getting hurt himself.

The team is now down their true NHL backup and their substitute NHL backup; as a result, the team has signed 31-year-old SJSU alumn Ryan Lowe to a professional contract to play as Niemi’s emergency backup. Lowe last played with the Sydney Bears of the AIHL in Sydney, Australia.

I know.

To be fair, the team had less than twenty-four hours to come up with a backup for Niemi in his start against the Calgary Flames. This isn’t a goalie situation San Jose wants to find themselves in, though; particularly as there are already rumors around the league of head coach Ted McLellan being in the hot seat.

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