Vokoun sharp in shutout win - Nashville, Tennessee - Saturday, 01/13/07 - Tennessean.com
So much for the theory that Tomas Vokoun's recovery would take awhile.
Thanks in part to their goalkeeper's quick improvement, the Predators managed to go from shootout to shutout in just three days, blanking the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-0 in front of 14,136 at Gaylord Entertainment Center on Friday.
Vokoun was making just his second start since suffering a thumb injury Nov. 23.
In Tuesday's return, Vokoun looked a little rusty in a wide-open 5-4 overtime win against Anaheim. But that wasn't the case Friday, as Vokoun turned away 10 first-period shots en route to a 22-save shutout.
"He was connecting the dots, seeing the puck and he really looked comfortable, whereas the last game he didn't look that comfortable,'' Coach Barry Trotz said. "I thought he looked really solid for game two.''
Vokoun's big saves came in the opening period, sliding across his crease to turn away Geoff Platt's early slapshot and showing quick reflexes to stop Dan Fritsche on a bang-bang play in front of the Nashville net four minutes later.
"I felt a lot better,'' Vokoun said. "The guys played a great game in front of me. It was pretty easy to be the goaltender tonight.''