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31 декабря 2001 года.
Khabibulin Trying To Work Through Problems // Tampa Tribune

By ERIK ERLENDSSON 
TAMPA - We knew this day would come. 

It was inevitable that someone secretly would slip some kryptonite near Nikolai Khabibulin and make him appear mortal. 

That's been the case during the past four games for the Lightning's goaltender, who has allowed 14 goals. Khabibulin had allowed a total of 14 goals in his previous 10 starts. 

So is it time to panic? 

``Everybody goes through this at some point. It's nothing really to worry about,'' Khabibulin said. ``I'll work through it.'' 

Nothing is wrong mechanically, according to Lightning goaltending coach Jeff Reese. Despite the mini-slump, he is generally in the right position and always is square to the puck. Some of it has been bad luck - Bill Guerin's goal Saturday bounced off the crossbar and off Khabibulin's back into the net - and some of it has been timing. 

In the past two games, three shots from the point have managed to slip by Khabibulin - shots that 90 percent of the time are not considered dangerous for a goaltender of Khabibulin's talent. On those goals, he said he was impatient and dropped to the ice too soon. 

``It's nothing big,'' said Reese, who spent 90 minutes reviewing tape with Khabibulin following practice Sunday. ``He was on such a pace for about a three- to four-week stretch that he's proving he is human. I wouldn't even say he has been struggling, but it is clear that he's not at the same point he was. He hasn't been as sharp.'' 

Since enjoying a stretch of seven games without allowing more than two goals from Nov. 29 to Dec. 14, Khabibulin has seen his goals-against average rise from 1.87 to 2.08 in his past four starts. 

During that span, however, Khabibulin has managed to pick up two wins and has helped his team earn five out of a possible eight points. 

``He is still making some key saves for us,'' Reese said. ``He is so levelheaded that he doesn't let things like that affect him. Everybody goes through it and it is hard to go through an 82-game season where everything goes well. He'll regain it and end up going through another stretch of games like he did earlier in the season.'' 

If Khabibulin works through his problems and the Lightning's offense continues to give him goal support - Tampa Bay has 15 goals in its past five games - the team could be primed to make a playoff run. 
``It's kind of funny how this game works sometimes,'' Lightning coach John Tortorella said. ``We've talked a lot about putting things together at the same time. We didn't have the offense when we had the goaltending. Now we have the offense going a little better and the goaltending has fallen off a little bit.'' 

Страничка Николая Хабибулина на сайте "Звёзды с Востока"

ПРЕССА

11 октября. Показатели Хабибулина продолжают подать. 

7 октября. Воробьев помог Хабибулину одержать первую победу в составе «Блэкхаукс». 

23 сентября. Хабибулин пока не показывает свой лучшей игры. 

5 августа. Хабибулин перебирается в Чикаго. 

29 марта. Хабибулин и Лекавалиер в центре внимания прессы Тампы. 

2 февраля. Николай Хабибулин: "Думать в воротах - непозволительная роскошь" - Спорт-Экспресс

22 ноября. Афанасенков против Хабибулина // "Спорт-Экспресс"

23 октября. Хабибулин и Каспарайтис - в "Ак Барсе" - "Спорт-Экспресс"

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