Predators' backup earns two wins (one in relief) during the weekend after Pekka Rinne is injured

Pekka Rinne has won nearly twice as many games as any other goalie in Nashville Predators history.

He is not the only one on the current roster capable of delivering victories, though. Just check the current NHL statistics.

Backup Juuse Saros is tied for the NHL lead with four wins following a weekend in which he collected a pair. He was the goalie of record when he replaced Rinne on Friday at Calgary (a 5-3 triumph), and he turned away all 31 shots he faced in a shutout of Edmonton (3-0) after having stopped all nine in his relief appearance at Calgary.

"There's a lot of confidence in both goaltenders, but that's a tough situation," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. "That's the life of a goaltender. When you aren't starting, you have to be ready at any moment. He came in and did his job really well."

Saros has collected his four victories in just three starts. The five others with four wins as of Monday morning all had started at least six times.

Rinne was injured early in the third period of the game at Calgary and pulled himself from the contest a short time later. The score was 3-3 at the time, but Zac Rinaldo got the game-winner 1:11 after Saros entered and Filip Forsberg eventually iced it with an empty-net goal.

The Predators placed Rinne on injured reserve Saturday but offered no details about the nature or severity of his injury. That means he will miss at least the next two games.

Saros is 4-0-0 season with a 1.54 goals-against average and a .945 save percentage, all of which rank among the league leaders.

His pair of weekend wins made him the seventh goalie in franchise history with at least 25. He is now 25-14-10 for his career. That is a long way from Rinne’s 314 wins (Tomas Vokoun is second with 161) but right now he gives Nashville just as good a chance to win — and he will get his chance for extended action.

"We're playing good at this moment," Saros said. "We have to take it game by game, but right now it's going well."



