Playoffs 2000:In the Corners: Boucher emerges

In the Corners: Boucher emerges
By Brian A. Shactman
ESPN.com

Brian Boucher is 23 years old. He's a rookie. In fact, Boucher wasn't even in the Philadelphia Flyers' half of the media guide this preseason, not being expected to make his splash in the NHL until some future date.

And now, he's outdueling Dominik Hasek, the goalie widely considered the best in the world.


	Boucher may be young, but he's been a major reason things are so stable with the Flyers.

As the Flyers get ready to go for the sweep against the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night in their East quarterfinal matchup, Boucher has been a major force in the series. In three games, Boucher has allowed three goals on 68 shots. That translates into a 1.00 goals-against average and .956 save percentage. For comparison's sake, Hasek's numbers are excellent -- 2.02 GAA and .928 save percentage -- but inferior to Boucher's.

Not bad for a guy who wasn't even in the top five statistically last season in the AHL. When playing for the nearby Philly Phantoms, Boucher ranked eighth in last season's Calder Cup playoffs with a 2.85 GAA and 9-7 record. Heck, he didn't even start last year as the No. 1 goalie for the Phantoms. That honor went to Jean-Marc Pelletier, since shipped to Carolina in the Keith Primeau deal. It may have been Pelletier's brief call-up to the big club last season that opened the door for Boucher to display his skills.

Whatever chain of events led to Boucher's emergence, it's evident that people talk about his poise and confidence in a manner reminiscent of how Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur were discussed early in their careers. Clearly, Boucher needs to keep winning, perhaps even earning the Cup title, to gain true acceptance into such an elite circle. But there's a good chance Boucher could be that special talent that doesn't come along very often. The irony is that all of Philadelphia, from the media to the fans, complained for so long that the Flyers were a goalie away from really challenging for the Stanley Cup. Little did they know that he was between the pipes over at the Spectrum, right under everyone's nose.

Two lesser known Philly rookies
So much talk has been made of Philly rookies Boucher and Simon Gagne, and for good reason. But two other rookies are quietly making a positive impact on the Flyers. Defensemen Mark Eaton and Andy Delmore played a combined 54 games for the Flyers this season. In the playoffs, however, both have played in all three games. In Game 3, Delmore skated for more than 18 minutes, and Eaton earned 14 minutes of ice time.

Boucher has been sensational, but another factor in Philly shutting Buffalo down involves the defense not allowing many second-chance shots on Boucher. In addition, the Sabres have had great difficulty creating traffic in front of the Flyers' net. As a six-man unit, Philly's defense can be credited with policing the defensive zone -- and protecting Boucher -- with a fierce determination.

Everyone knows Eric Desjardins, Luke Richardson, Chris Therien and Dan McGillis -- all well-traveled NHL veterans -- but the infusion of dependable, young speed has rejuvenated the defensemen corps. It has also enabled interim coach Craig Ramsey to rest the veterans and keep them fresh for late in the game. That could be a huge positive for the Flyers if they go deep in the playoffs.

Brian A. Shactman is the NHL Editor for ESPN.com.