One Canucks Goalie Struggles & One Knocking on the Door

Goaltending is a funny business. One week, you're the guy your team trusts to win games. A few rough outings later, people are wondering whether someone else should get the next start.

The Vancouver Canucks have a situation worth watching in their crease, and Saturday's 4-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils gave us another reason to pay attention. Leevi Merilainen stopped 31 of 34 shots before leaving briefly for a skate repair. Kevin Lankinen came in, allowed one goal on three shots, and took the loss.

That was a tough break for Lankinen. But the bigger story isn't who got the loss beside his name. It's what these two goalies are showing Vancouver.

Merilainen Is Giving the Canucks Something to Think About.

Merilainen had a busy night in New Jersey. All three goals he allowed came on the power play, and he made enough saves to keep the Canucks within reach for much of the game. His save percentage is now .929 through four appearances. That's an encouraging number, especially compared with Lankinen's .783 through five appearances.

Numbers don't tell the whole story, of course. The quality of the chances matters, as does the work happening in front of the goalie. But Merilainen is making a case for more opportunities, and Vancouver has every reason to take a closer look.

For a rebuilding team, that's important. You need to find out what you have, and sometimes that means giving a younger player a chance to show you what he can do.

It's Not Quite So Simple for Lankinen.

I don't think we should turn this into a story about one goalie being good and the other being bad. Lankinen is 31, and he's having a difficult start. His numbers are concerning, and the Canucks need better results from whoever is in the crease. That's the business side of hockey.

But goalies are people, too. Confidence matters. So does knowing that one bad stretch doesn't necessarily define you. Lankinen didn't choose to enter Saturday's game under those circumstances, and allowing the decisive goal on three shots certainly won't help his numbers.

He still has an opportunity to respond. The question is whether he can find his game again before Merilainen gets a larger share of the workload.

What Should Vancouver Do Next?

The Canucks don't need a grand announcement or a winner in this competition. They need to give Merilainen a fair opportunity while allowing Lankinen a chance to recover his form. That's part of rebuilding. It's not just about collecting young players and draft picks. It's about finding out who can help you going forward, who needs more time, and where you need to make some changes.

Merilainen is making his case. Lankinen needs to answer. And somewhere in the middle is a coaching staff that has to decide who gives the team the best chance to win. For now, I'd let the performances make the argument. The Canucks don't need to rush to a conclusion, but they can't ignore what they're seeing, either.