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Khudobin hasn’t solved the Bruins’ backup goalie problem

Kevin Bieksa, Anton Khudobin

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Kevin Bieksa (2) celebrates after scoring against Boston Bruins goalie Anton Khudobin (35) on a breakaway in the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2016, in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

AP

When we last checked in on Anton Khudobin, he’d just delivered an encouraging performance for the Boston Bruins, stopping 29 of 30 shots in a 2-1 shootout victory over Carolina.

Unfortunately for Khudobin and the B’s, his last two starts have been decidedly discouraging. Last Thursday, he allowed four goals on 22 shots in a 4-2 loss to Colorado, and last night, it was four goals on 27 shots in a 4-3 loss to Anaheim.
“Obviously, it’s disappointing. I’m not really happy,” said the 30-year-old netminder, per WEEI in Boston. “But I’m not going to put my head down and say that I’m done.”

With last night’s loss, Khudobin’s record fell to 1-5-0 with an .882 save percentage. In stark contrast, Tuukka Rask is 15-5-3 with a .930 save percentage.

After missing the playoffs the past two seasons with Niklas Svedberg and Jonas Gustavsson in the backup role, the Bruins were hoping for much better from Khudobin, who played so well for them in 2013, when he went 9-4-0 with a .920 save percentage.

Read more: ‘Really happy’ to be back in Boston, Khudobin will be key for Bruins

But signing him to a two-year, $2.4 million contract was a gamble by GM Don Sweeney, considering Khudobin had struggled in his previous two NHL seasons, going a combined 11-20-6 with a .902 save percentage for Carolina and Anaheim. He spent most of last season in the AHL.

In case you’re wondering, there is no great third option behind Rask and Khudobin. Zane McIntyre has been good in the AHL, but he’s 0-2-0 with an .859 save percentage for the big club. Malcolm Subban, a first-round draft pick in 2012, doesn’t even have good AHL numbers this season (2-6-5, .903), lest we forget his two disastrous NHL starts, neither of which he finished.

So it may be up to Rask to carry the B’s into the playoffs. Boston is currently three points clear of Tampa Bay for third place in the Atlantic, but the Bolts have two games in hand.