At this point, as was discussed on a recent episode of The Cruddy Show, Blues' coach Ken Hitchcock will likely continue to go with the hot hand. But having a goalie controversy is not necessarily a bad thing.
In the NFL it is often a bad thing if there is a quarterback controversy. It often means that neither quarterback is good enough to start. But in hockey, it is much different. Having two goalies playing at an elite level is a good thing.
The Blues had a similar situation last season when both Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott played excellent hockey all season and shared the William Jennings Trophy last year.
This year, it is Allen who has entered the conversation with Halak as the two look to start fighting for playing time down the stretch as the Blues fight for playoff position.
Allen certainly is the goalie who is hot of late, particularly after Tuesday's performance. For the first time all season, the Blues stole a game because of goaltending against the Sharks as Allen stopped 39 of the 41 shots he faced and was particularly good in the second period, stopping 18 of 19 Sharks' shots.
If Allen stays hot, Hitchcock will likely stick with him, but that does not mean that the rookie is the number one goalie yet. Halak seems to thrive when challenged and Allen is doing exactly that. Look for Halak to raise his game when given the opportunity, which will come sooner than later.
Having two healthy goalies playing outstanding hockey is a blessing, not a curse.
With Allen's hot play and the likelihood that Halak will return to form soon, the Blues have a good situation brewing in goal.
The Cruddy Show is a St. Louis sports talk show and podcast. Listen to The Cruddy Show every Tuesday and Friday night live at 9:30 pm CT on BlogTalkRadio.com to hear the latest in St. Louis sports. You can download each podcast on iTunes and follow (@CruddyShow) on Twitter!
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