Kuemper made 20 saves in a 4-3 overtime win against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Ball Arena to give Colorado a 1-0 lead in the best-of-7 series. It was his first game since sustaining a lower-body injury in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final on May 31.
Game 2 is here Saturday (8 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, CBC, SN, TVAS).
"He did what he had to do, and I think that's all he has to do with this team," Boucher, a retired NHL goalie and current ESPN analyst, said this week on the "NHL @TheRink" podcast. "I think for Kuemper it's just about not giving up that one or two goals a game that are backbreakers at the wrong times. If he can do that, he gives his team a chance to win and that's all he can do."
Boucher told co-hosts Dan Rosen and Shawn P. Roarke that the best thing Avalanche coach Jared Bednar can do is continue to show faith in Kuemper even though Pavel Francouz, the backup in Game 1, is 6-0 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and was a big reason why Colorado swept the Edmonton Oilers in the conference final.
Bednar did that in Game 1 by staying with Kuemper after he gave up two goals in 48 seconds during the second period that tied the game at 3-3 with 6:21 remaining before intermission.
"I think we're making a lot about the goaltending situation, would they go to Francouz, is it a short leash?" Boucher said. "I think it's important for Jared Bednar to really quiet that talk by showing some confidence in Kuemper unless Kuemper completely implodes. And we would see that. It would be right in front of our eyes. But don't start nitpicking because if you start nitpicking there's only so many games in this series and you can't get it back.
"Show some patience. You got Game 1, critical that you got Game 1. Now you're playing with a little bit of house money and see if you can hold serve in Game 2. Look, you're going to go on the road and it's not going to be easy. Tampa Bay has been good at home and you could expect the series to be tied (2-2) coming back for Game 5. But show some patience in Kuemper. Show some faith in him. He did what he had to do last night. He gave his team a chance."
Boucher also said the Avalanche's response after Kuemper allowed the goals to Ondrej Palat and Mikhail Sergachev is an indication of the faith they have in the goalie.
"They give up the two quick goals in the second but in the third period they come out and outshoot Tampa Bay 12-5," he said. "That tells me that the group was not rattled by the fact that they gave up those two goals in the second period and that they believe in their goaltender."
In addition, Rosen and Roarke gave their thoughts on Game 1 and looked ahead to Game 2.
They also discussed why Bruce Cassidy being hired to coach the Vegas Golden Knights is the right move and gave reasons why John Tortorella could be a good fit if he becomes the next coach of the Philadelphia Flyers.
The podcast is free, and listeners can subscribe on all podcast platforms. It is also available on
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