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Chris Osgood, Brian Boucher expected to start

Jimmy Howard, Chris Osgood

Detroit Red Wings’ Jimmy Howard, left, pats Chris Osgood on the pads as Osgood is pulled from the game after allowing a second goal to the Vancouver Canucks during first period NHL hockey action in Vancouver on Tuesday Oct. 27, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darryl Dyck)

AP

Forgive some hockey fans if they feel a little nostalgic about this afternoon’s goalie matchup between Brian “Don’t call me Bobby” Boucher and Chris Osgood. Boucher’s first tenure with the Flyers came from 99-02 while Osgood is a longtime Red Wing himself (despite bouncing around to the Islanders and Blues as well). Both goalies are dealing with forgettable seasons.

For Osgood, he ceded the No. 1 spot to Calder-Vezina-dare-some-say-Hart candidate Jimmy Howard. You cannot blame the Red Wings for turning away from the guy who seemingly only wakes up for the playoffs; Osgood only produced 8 wins in 22 starts with a pathetic 89 percent save percentage. Today will mark his first start in months and one must wonder if he’ll even get the chance to prove that the playoffs are his time to shine since Howard has earned the chance to prove himself.

In the case of Boucher, he seems to be the last goalie standing in Philadelphia. With Ray Emery and Michael Leighton suffering ill-timed season-ending injuries (though one must wonder if there’s ever a good time for a goalie’s year to be over), the team is forced to place all their hopes in the journeyman backup. His 6-17-3 record indicates that he’s meant to be the second banana - or play in the AHL - during this stage of his career.