Reto Berra

Reto Berra has started in net for the Colorado Avalanche in the last four consecutive games while Semyon Varlamov continues to nurse a groin injury. Therefore, he will be the goalie examined in this week’s edition of Grading the Goaltender. Berra has won three straight games and those wins could not have come at a more important time for the Avalanche. Colorado has desperately needed wins to make up ground in the Central Division standings, the toughest division in hockey. The first three games of a long road trip have been difficult matches for the Avalanche. Berra has maintained a consistently high level of play and has been an important piece in their recent winning streak.

By the Numbers: A

Berra has played in eight games (starting seven) this season and has won four of them. On average, Berra has let in 1.5 goals per game this season and currently holds the fourth-best save percentage of all NHL goalies with a .953 on the year. Each of the goaltenders in front of Berra in the save percentage category have played half as many games or less.

Lateral Movement: B

Berra’s size (6-foot-4, 210 pounds) causes him to struggle a bit in terms of footwork. On his feet, his lateral movement is adequate; however, when he has dropped into the butterfly and is sliding for repositioning, Berra tends to lose his balance and end up on his stomach. Butterfly slides are an important part of a goaltender’s game, allowing them to follow the puck and take away the bottom of the net and remain square to the shot. One specific example was in Montreal where Berra made a nice save off of a one-time shot from the far circle that came off of a pass from the near circle. Berra had to make the “nice” save because he was unable to get the push he wanted to follow the pass while he was in the reverse-VH position. Luckily, he was able to stick out his left leg to make the kick save on the shot that Max Pacioretty of the Candiens kept low. Had it been higher, Berra would have had to make an even better glove save to prevent the goal.

Reading the Play: A-

This is an important part of the game for any goaltender and is why many become coaches after their playing careers. This is where the cerebral part of the game comes in. In his most recent starts, Reto Berra has done a great job of predicting what will happen before it happens and being prepared to make the save. The first period against Boston was the only time he really slipped up when reading the play and the Bruins were able to capitalize and get two early goals.

Initial Save: A+

This category is Berra’s strength. A combination of size, good angle control and aggressive positioning usually allows him to make this first save. This has been important for the Avs lately mainly because this has been where Semyon Varlamov has struggled this season. The ability to make the first save allows the defense to help clear rebounds and prevent the opposition from crashing the net. Making the first save is not always about great goaltending, sometimes simply being in a proper position, staying big and square to the shot allows goalies to get hit by the puck. A combination of sharp reflexes and a some lucky saves that hit him have helped Berra remain great at the initial shot and have been the main reason he has been so good lately.

Rebound Control: B-

After Berra makes the first save, he typically gives up a rebound in a juicy, high-percentage area. He maintains his fundamentals on less challenging shots by either swallowing the puck in his stomach for the whistle or safely placing the puck in the corner, allowing the defense to continue the play and start the breakout. The more challenging shots are much harder for Berra to control, as to be expected, but it seems as though a lot of the bounces he gives up end up in dangerous areas. So far, this part of Berra’s game hasn’t been detrimental, but can use some improvement before it becomes costly.

Recovery: C

After making the initial save, Berra’s recovery is his primary weakness. Once again citing the two first-period goals in Boston, he either ended up on his side or on his stomach while trying to reposition himself to make the saves on rebounds. A goalie ideally wants to square up to the rebounds by either sliding over in a butterfly or getting back on his feet. Berra consistently struggles in this aspect of his game and he has been no different of late. Luckily, this Achilles heel of his has yet to cost him any crucial goals.

Extra Credit

Without a doubt, Berra’s been a big part of the recent success on the road trip. His play has been sound and he has been confident, which is extremely important to a goaltender. Varlamov’s battle back from injury appears to have diminished his self-belief, and in turn, the rest of the team may have lost some confidence in Varly. Through his high level of play, Berra has given the rest of the team confidence that the defensive end is well-protected, giving them the opportunity to put added offensive pressure on the opposition.

Overall: A-

Berra receives an A- in this week’s goalie grades. His performance as of late has been vital to the Avalanche’s recovery from a rough first month of the season. Considering that he is the backup goaltender, his above average play has been all the more impressive. If he continues to play at this level, head coach Patrick Roy will have a difficult decision to make once Varly is healthy enough to play.

The Avalanche hope to extend their win streak to four Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. MST in Toronto. The Maple Leafs, at 14 points and a 5-9-4 record, have been struggling this year as well. However, they have won three of their last four contests. Two of those wins have been against teams that are at the top of the Central Division; A 3-2 road win against the Dallas Stars and a 2-1 road win vs the Nashville Predators.