Olympic Hockey Break: Grading The Dallas Stars Goaltenders

Continuing our series from yesterday, today we turn our attention the Dallas Stars goaltenders. The goal here is to analyze and talk about their performances relative to our respective expectations for each player headed into the season. Obviously, we weren't expecting Marty Turco to be the goalie that set a modern-era goals-against average, but how did he do when you think about what you were expecting back in September?

Overall, the goaltending has been wholly disappointing as the season has progressed. Both goaltenders' propensity for allowing soft goals in the final minutes of a period or failing to make the big save when the team needed it the most has frustrated Stars fans ever since October. What is good to know is that the Stars are at least allowing less goals per game than last season, when a complete lack of goaltending ability helped the Stars fall apart down the stretch.

Yet it's also been the goaltending that's allowed the Stars to climb back into the Western conference playoff race, with two weeks worth of masterful performances by Marty Turco. But was it too little, too late? We all hoped that Alex Auld could perhaps grab the temporary starter's role when Turco was struggling, yet he disappointed as well. Was the lack of consistent goaltending a reason for the team's struggles, or was it the defense that led to the netminding issues?

Vote for how you feel the goaltending has performed overall, then make the jump for stats and thoughts on each goalies.

Are grades are relative to expectations relative to that player.

When the Stars traded for Alex Auld last summer, the hope was that he'd at least be a better backup option that what the Stars had in 2008-09. Auld was a proven backup goaltender, who has had decent success with several teams. This season, he's stolen some games for the Stars yet he's also had some questionable performances when the team really needed him. When Turco was struggling and the Stars were ready to hand over the starting position, Auld steady played worse with each progressing game. Now, it looks like he may be the odd man out at the trade deadline.

Overall grade: C

He started off alright, stumbled in December and January and then played out of his mind the last few weeks before the break. His overall numbers are decent, but what's been most worrisome is the high number of overtime and shootout losses. He's also exemplified this season what Stars fans have always complained about when Turco plays: allowing some incredibly soft goals at the worst times, despite making several big stops all game long.

Overall grade: C