Montreal Canadiens goaltender Cristobal Huet dedicated this past summer to strengthen his lower body and improve his conditioning. (Rick Stewart/Getty Images)
Feature
Injuries begone
Montreal goaltender Cristobal Huet hopes an off-season of training keeps him injury free
Last Updated Wed., Nov. 14, 2007
By Tony Care, CBC Sports
If the past two seasons have taught Cristobal Huet anything, it's that success in the National Hockey League can be hampered by obstacles.
The Montreal Canadiens goaltender has been consistently good between the pipes, only to see his performance hindered by nagging injuries.
Determined to avoid another agonizing season of injury woes, Huet, 32, dedicated this past summer to strengthen his lower body and improve his conditioning.
"I wanted to make sure I didn't get injured again and that I'm able to play as much as I can," he admitted to CBCSports.ca.
His injury woes are well documented, and started early in his tenure with the Habs.
After the Canadiens acquired the France-born netminder from the Los Angeles Kings three years ago, Huet was set to join the team for the 2005-06 season, but a torn anterior cruciate ligament he incurred to his knee in the middle of an off-season workout forced him to sit out the first 2 1/2 months.
Huet rebounded to win 18 games along with a career-high seven shutouts and then starred in defeat during Montreal's six-game loss to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes in the first round of the playoffs.
While the knee problem lingered, Huet - and the rest of his team - began strong last season before the injury bug struck once again.
Huet suffered a hamstring injury in February against the New Jersey Devils, missing 20 games that significantly helped prevent Montreal from reaching the playoffs. Despite another solid season that saw him win 19 games and post a .916 save percentage, Huet was frustrated with the second setback.
"When you go through an ACL [injury] it's tough," he said. "In the summer [of 2005] there were things I couldn't do so last year the [knee] injury didn't help the hamstring problem."
The pay off
But the hard work has paid off.
Huet is a major contributor in Montreal's (10-4-3) quick start by registering a 6-3-2 mark while ranking eighth in the NHL with a 2.07 goals-against average. Even in defeat, Huet manages to keep Montreal competitive.
Following two victories last week, including his first shutout of the season against the Buffalo Sabres on Nov. 5, Huet was cruising to an apparent third consecutive win in Ottawa Saturday afternoon.
Huet has never played more than 42 games in any given season. (Ryan Remiorz/ Canadian Press)
However, the offence sputtered as Montreal dropped a 3-1 decision in spite of the stellar performance by its goaltender, who stopped 34 of 36 shots and held the Senators scoreless through the first two periods.
Regardless, teammates have shown great confidence in Huet and rookie Carey Price whenever the team needs a key stop in the closing moments of a contest.
"One thing that really has been paying off for both our goaltenders is the work that they do off the ice and during the practices," said Canadiens captain Saku Koivu.
"The goalie coach [Roland Melanson] really pushes them hard and you can see the difference. For a goaltender - as any player - confidence [is the key]. You play a few good games and you feel like you can stop the puck and a lot of the time that makes the difference."
Lending a hand
Price has also benefited from playing beside the veteran goalie. A first-round pick of the Canadiens back in 2005, Price earned a roster spot during training camp and has an impressive 4-1-1 record with the help Huet.
Although the Canadiens drafted the Vancouver native as their future No. 1 goaltender, Price said Huet isn't threatened by his presence and is willing to lend a helping hand any time he's asked.
"We get along really well and it's the way I've gotten along with all my other [goaltending] partners since junior," he said.
"He's a veteran player and that's a big plus for me. He gives me advice when we play against different teams in what to look for and what to avoid."
The challenge for Huet remains his health. The NHL all-star has never played more than 42 games in any given season and realizes the pitfalls of looking too far ahead.
"I want be competitive every night that I'm asked to play," he said.
The Canadiens know they'll get that and more from Huet when he's actually on the ice.
