BUFFALO – Goalie Michal Neuvirth, once thought to be the Sabres’ backup, will make his second consecutive start Tuesday in Toronto, coach Ted Nolan said this afternoon.
What’s going on? Wasn’t Jhonas Enroth supposed to be the No. 1 goalie?
Neuvirth will have earned three of four nods after the Sabres play the Maple Leafs.
Nolan said today he never anointed Enroth, who’s played six games, the starting netminder.
“I said he won the right to start the season,” Nolan said inside the First Niagara Center. “There’s a difference between starting goaltenders and starting the season. He certainly earned the right to start the season. Jhonas, he played well throughout the training camp … and he’s continued to play well.”
Both goalies have one win and similar numbers. Enroth has a 3.13 goals-against average and .914 save percentage. Neuvirth, meanwhile, has a 3.01 goals-against average and .916 save percentage.
Neuvirth played well in Saturday’s 2-1 win in San Jose, stopping 29 shots.
“It’s not that we’ve given up on Jhonas, it’s just that the hot goaltender right now you got to go with,” Nolan said.
In other news, Nolan said rookie center Sam Reinhart will play Tuesday. The 18-year-old has played seven games. He can play nine times before his contract kicks in.