start Vokoun

On Thursday.

Vs. Pittsbugh.

I agonized over this decision like it was actually my call, like I could pick up the phone and say "GEORGE? I'VE DECIDED" as soon as I chose. There are great arguments for each. Neuvirth has just sparkling numbers against Pittsburgh, 2-0-1 with two shutouts and a .977 save percentage. Ye gods. If we could just get Bylsma to bad-mouth him before the game again, we'd probably be golden.

But that's not our priority at the moment. I'd like to think we're not so desperate for two points that we can't make long-term decisions, and if there's a time to squash the "goaltending controversy", it's now. Vokoun is expected to be a key piece of the puzzle come April--it's more important that he gets his head right and that he gets a vote of confidence from the staff now, that he is given the chance to rebound after a tough game and show us what he's made of now, that he prove to the fans now that he's capable of doing it.

EDIT: this was as far as I got before I found out that Neuvirth has a lower-body injury, and that will likely be that. Despite cryptic quotes from Boudreau saying Neuvirth may still be there, there's no way they're going to start even a slightly injured goalie over Vokoun.

Right?