Detroit Red Wings: Chris Osgood in Net for Game Five

Chris Osgood will get the start tonight for Detroit in its game five tilt with the Nashville Predators in their Western Conference quarterfinal series.

After allowing three goals on 11 shots in game four’s disappointing loss, Mike Babcock replaced Dominik Hasek with Osgood, who blanked the Preds the rest of the way.

It’s hard to imagine that "Ozzie" could do any worse than Hasek who, admittedly, played the worst hockey of his career in game four. With a postseason GAA of 2.91 and a save percentage of .888, you would be hard-pressed to dispute that claim.

Mike Babcock hasn’t indicated if this change will be permanent, but he did tell reports that he doesn’t want to switch back and forth.

Osgood has had a renaissance of sorts this season, recording 27 wins in 43 games while posting a league best 2.09 GAA, to go with a .914 save percentage and four shutouts.  

Starting his career with the Wings back in 1993 as the 54th overall pick in the 1991 entry draft, Osgood shared time in net with Tim Cheveldae before the Wings dealt him for Bob Essensa, prior to the 1994 playoffs. In 41 games, the native of Peace River, Alberta recorded a 2.86 GAA and a .895 save percentage.

Over the next eight seasons, Ozzie would have 11 other goaltending partners, winning the Stanley Cup as a backup to Mike Vernon in 1997, and as a starter in 1998.

In the summer of 2001, the Red Wings traded for Dominik Hasek, leaving Osgood as the odd man out. In September of that year, the Wings placed him on waivers. He was claimed by the NY Islanders.

Four years later, after the Wings re-signed him as an unrestricted free agent this past August, his career has come full circle.

Now, it’s the fresh-faced goaltender who has knocked Hasek from the crease in the Wings' pursuit of Lord Stanley’s Cup.

Osgood is confident in his abilities and, judging by his performance after coming in cold midway through the second period of game four, the Wings needn’t worry about this change in netminders.

"I'm more mature," Osgood said. "You don't get as excited as you used to, don't panic as much as you used to. You stay on an even keel, you know what to do, you know how to prepare yourself."

After giving up a two games to none lead, the Wings will benefit from the calming effect Ozzie brings to the rink. It’s his job to lose, but judging by the roads he’s traveled over his career, he can handle whatever’s thrown at him.  And that's exactly what this team needs.