Khudobin's unique mix of personality, performance leading way in playoffs

To see into the unique mind of Anton Khudobin, all you had to do was watch his Zoom call after a 5-2 win over Colorado on Monday.
Khudobin, who is from Kazakhstan, was listening to teammate Radek Faksa answer a question in Czech, and just delighted at the response. At one point, he looked over at Faksa and laughed, and he then looked back at the camera and drummed a rim shot on the table with his hands.

It was a perfect moment for the 34-year-old goalie.
He can be both serious and strange. He can be both complicated and simple. He can be the most important athlete on the Stars, and also a guy who has to sit long stretches to do his job.
"He's just a top-notch guy," said defenseman John Klingberg. "He goes out there at practice and works every day and helps this team win. He's just a great overall guy, and we're happy to have him."
Khudobin had 30 appearances in 69 games during the regular season, so he and Ben Bishop are more of a pairing. Still, he is officially the team's "backup goalie," so he does have to go stretches when he's not starting all that much. It's during those times that Khudobin is an intense competitor in getting his teammates ready for games with strong practices, all the while cracking them up with good antics.
It's a combination that could be difficult, but Khudobin makes it seem natural.

"We know he's a tremendous competitor in that net, guys love playing in front of him, and we know exactly what we're going to get every night he plays," Stars interim coach Rick Bowness said.
"And his sense of humor? He's a lot of fun to be around. He keeps the guys loose and you never know what's going to come out of his mouth next. And with that Russian accent, he catches you off guard a little bit with his sense of humor."
Khudobin's postgame shenanigans were par for the course. He often chats with officials and fans during the game when he's on the bench. He chirps on the ice to challenge his teammates. He often has a smile, and typically tries to make sure you do to.
Asked if he had any stories on Khudobin, Klingberg said: "Probably nothing that I can share here."
Khudobin was caught giggling while making a save when he was mic'd up in practice. He slid into the team photo at the end of the Winter Classic. He doesn't mind shooting pucks on net in his flip flops on days he doesn't dress for practice.
"There's a loose side to him and there's an incredibly competitive side to him," Bowness said. "The loose side is great around the guys and at practice and in the locker room, and then when the puck drops that is one competitive guy. So the guys feed off him both ways. It's great to have his personality, but it's also great that when the puck drops he's one of the better competitors in the league."
Khudobin showed that Monday in Game 2 against the Avalanche. He stopped 19 of 20 shots in the first period and allowed Dallas to catch its breath at the first intermission down just 1-0, despite getting roundly outplayed. The Stars then went on to score four second period goals and enter the final 20 minutes up 4-2.

"When that happens, your goaltender has got to give you a chance to get your legs and get your game going," Bowness said. "Dobby did that. He was fantastic. Give him a lot of credit, because we survived that first period, there's no question about it."
Bishop has been battling some sort of ailment and has not even been available to back up. So Khudobin has taken over, leading Dallas to a 4-2 win over Calgary in the first round and a 2-0 lead on Colorado in the second round.
Khudobin said that starting six games in a row has helped him find his groove, and that's to be expected. But what was most impressive was his machine-like ability to absorb pucks and not allow rebounds. While the Avalanche were trying to seize momentum in the series, Khudobin simply and quietly ate everything up. It's the simple part of his mind that allows him to focus on stopping one shot at a time.
"I was just focusing on the next shot, next shift, next rush or whatever. I wasn't really focusing on score," he said. "I know we were down, but I was just thinking shot after shot. It's a long game, it's 60 minutes, so I just got to do my job and stop them."
In doing that, he can flip a switch from smiling goofball to intense competitor. It seems emotionally complicated, but Khudobin makes it all work inside the same head. Khudobin was drafted by Minnesota in 2004 and has played with the Wild, the Bruins, the Hurricanes, the Ducks and the Stars. This is his first chance to start in the playoffs, and he seems unfazed by the pressure.
"That's a guy who has battled his whole life to make it. You can see all of the hard work, and he continues to do it each and every single day, and you can see the results because of it," Stars captain Jamie Benn said. "Dobby since the day he walked into that dressing room…big personality, a teammate that you love to have. We see how hard he battles in practice, and it just shows in the game. He's a warrior out there."
And with that combination of personality and performance, the Stars are ready for a few more drum rolls.

Game 3: Stars vs. Avalanche (Dallas leads 2-0)

Tonight, 9:30 p.m.
Where: Rogers Place, Edmonton
TV:NBCSN
Radio:The Ticket 96.7-FM, 1310-AM
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heikais a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika, and listen to his podcast.