The stat line for Chris Osgood's 400th career victory wasn't typical for most of his wins with the Detroit Red Wings: 46 saves on 49 shots, including 23 in the second period against the Colorado Avalanche. In 2008-09, for example, he faced over 40 shots just twice in 44 starts.
Call it ironic, call it oddly appropriate: The goaltender whose success so many attribute to the defensive talent in front of him stood on his head to help the Red Wings eventually win in overtime, 4-3.
Earlier this month, Osgood's teammates, and specifically Nicklas Lidstrom, asked Coach Mike Babcock to give the veteran goaltender a start at home in an effort to have him win his 400th NHL game in Detroit. But he lost that game and the following start.
Against the Avs, Lidstrom had a 4-point night as his longtime teammate made history, including a helper on Niklas Kronwall's game-winner on the power play in OT.
Whenever Osgood achieves another career milestone, the Hall of Fame debate rages.
He's not Brodeur, Roy or Hasek. But he's a 3-time Stanley Cup champion (twice as a starter) with 400 wins and the opportunity to pass Grant Fuhr and Glenn Hall on the all-time list by the end of the season. He has a .916 save percentage and a 2.09 GAA in the playoffs.
He won't have the mystique, but he'll have the numbers. An Abel To Yzerman poll of Red Wings fans in 2007 asked if Osgood was a Hall of Famer, and 43 percent of respondents said "If He Gets to 400 Wins, He's In." Hard to imagine the Hall of Fame voters not adopting the same stance.
In any event, congrats to Osgood; that's a whole lotta W's and one hell of an effort to get No. 400.
Tim Ferry Ashley Fiolek Ernesto Fonseca Lauris Freibergs Paul Friedrichs
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