Does Alex Auld Deserve Another Shot As Starter?

by Brandon Worley on Jan 19, 2010 5:38 AM CST in Analysis Comment 8 comments

I'm going to steal Brad G's thunder a bit here, but this is a question I wanted to put out for Stars fans as they drank their morning coffee: After last night's performance, did Alex Auld instill the confidence in you that he can be starter for the forseeable future?

On Saturday against the Red Wings, Auld allowed two early goals before settling down and playing some very solid hockey in net. He was near-brilliant in the shootout and he helped lead his team to a very important win. The way the team played in front of Auld and the way they responded to the early deficit led the coaches and the front office to declare Auld the starter for the next game. and then they'd determine the next course of action depending on what happens Monday.

Auld started off the game against the Wild with some big saves, the Stars built some more confidence and exploded to a 4-0 lead in the second period. As we feared, the Stars let up off the gas pedal and the Wild came roaring back, bringing the game to within one as the Stars held on to win 4-3.

The first two goals scored were deflections (and some pretty good ones by Antti Miettinen), but does the way Auld was unable to lock things down concern you at all? On both deflections Auld was deep in his crease, not giving himself the positioning he needed to make the save. Now it's tough to criticize any goal allowed by deflections but Brad is right, why is Auld not held to the same standard as Marty Turco? If Turco had allowed those three goals to let the Wild right back in the game, he'd be crucified.

To me the difference is how the team is playing in front of Auld right now, and the history he's built. Turco has not inspired much with the fans or coaches this season, and when he's allowing 3-4 goals in every single game he's going to get a harder look. With Auld, the Stars have won two straight and he's playing decent. Not perfect, but decent.

The big test comes Thursday night against Vancouver. Judging by the post-game comments, Auld will be back in net to face the Canucks. The Stars played well in two games at home, but have been atrocious on the road. If Auld is steady in net and the Stars eek out a win, then we can move forward with more confidence in him and things really start to get interesting with Turco.

But if he allows 3-4 goals, some of the soft variety then we'll be all over him critically and start wringing our hands about goaltending once more.

Winning breeds confidence and glosses over the shortcomings. Was Auld perfect? No. But they won.

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Comments

Protection of Auld

You didn’t mention how early in the game when Auld got a stick across the back, Nisky eliminated the guy. I haven’t seen them protect Turco like that in a while. I don’t understand why not. Maybe they were just playing more as a team last night…or maybe they have an internal issue with Turco.

by Ric16 on Jan 19, 2010 7:26 AM CST reply actions

Auld

First off, deflections are suppose to go in. I never grill a goalie over that. The last goal they score he should have stayed oh his knees, So i fault him and the d men in front. He disnt let any 15 footers in from a bad angle or short side he played very well and tracked the puck well. I think letting him take the reigns for awhile will help marty. He will have to compete for the job again, I think he needs that. If we trade him and he becomes a backup to start off, I guarantee he will be the starter shortly. I think he is doing what he did last year. Trying to hard and thinking he has to carry the team. He needs help. But I say go with the hot goalie, see how auld does thursday and go game by game. Love Marty, if he does leave it will be a very sad day for me, 2nd to when Mo leaves.

by rburk32981 on Jan 19, 2010 8:14 AM CST reply actions

Auld deserves a chance to show whether or not he’s starter-worthy. I don’t think we can judge him fairly at this point, since he hasn’t had the reps of a starter. Give him the opportunity to build some consistency, and then we can all beat him up for positioning and other “second nature” things that should come with a more robust playing schedule.

by GoStarsGo on Jan 19, 2010 9:11 AM CST reply actions

It's a fair question Brandon

The Stars started capitulating as a team last night in the second half of that game, and the goaltender did likewise. Might not have mattered were it Auld or Turco. If they had played that way and Auld stonewalled them, might be a different story, but he allowed three goals in half a hockey game.

But hey, we all know the team needs the change right now, and the change is good. So let it ride with Auld I say.

by Brad Gardner on Jan 19, 2010 9:40 AM CST reply actions

Ride Auld

I say go with the hot hand, give Auld a chance as we have seen him before in Boston and Phoenix he can be very streaky and that means a streak of wins! I think we can all agree this would be good for us Stars fans right now!

by MIKE HOLLOW on Jan 19, 2010 10:12 AM CST reply actions

Go with Auld

I think Auld is playing better than Turco right now. Nobody is perfect. But he is more solid and I think he gives the team a better chance to win every night. I also would not pull him when he gets his first loss. You know, 4-3 or 3-2, ok, maybe if he gets totally blown on give Turks another shot. If we want to make the playoffs we need to do something different. I totally agree with the move to play Auld. Most importantly the team plays better and more confidently in front of Auld. They believe in him and know they have a chance to win.

by jdesk0911 on Jan 19, 2010 11:53 AM CST reply actions

if we go with auld

I think we are packing it in for the rest of the year. Yeah he’s playing well and better than Marty right now, but we have seen how ice cold this guy gets. He has had his opportunities in the past and hasn’t capitalized on them. I’m very disappointed with this team this year. They have come out flat in several big games, and I’m sorry starting Auld at goalie will not cure these ailments.

by Jamian B on Jan 19, 2010 3:02 PM CST reply actions

Obviously more confidence in Auld right now, play him

To me it seems that a lot of the Stars’ issues this year have been because of lack of confidence on defense and in goal. It’s obvious Turco doesn’t believe in his D-Men to bail him out when needed and because of that his play is shaky, since his play is shaky because of that the D( and probably the whole team) doesn’t believe he will bail them out when they need it. Alex Auld has shown in the past that he can play stretches of games and play very well. He’s a big guy who plays solid position butterfly hockey. Turco’s style was great before his confidence went down the toilet, so his less orthodox style doesn’t work as well as it used to. That back to basics style Auld brings I think is a calming force for the Defense. They have been playing better in front of him while he has been playing better behind them. Yes he could have gotten out more on the deflections but deflections are very hard to stop. On the third goal the Stars got caught in their own end and couldn’t clear the puck, you could feel the goal coming.
I say ride him while the Stars’ D and he are brimming with confidence and until he plays a bad game like the many bad games Turco played before the 2-0 loss to Columbus. Marty needs to find his groove back and if that means competition for the #1 job then so be it.

by brickwall5 on Jan 19, 2010 5:47 PM CST reply actions