Devan Dubnyk deals with Zach Parise of the Minnesota Wild during his most recent start. Dubnyk will start against Dallas Thursday. (Perry Nelson/QMI Agency)
The competition for Edmonton’s net turned out to be a battle of attrition, with Nikolai Khabibulin’s game writing cheques his groin simply couldn’t cash.
After playing so well in his return from hip surgery that Ralph Krueger gave him 11 of Edmonton’s last 15 periods, Khabibulin seems to have given out under the weight of a workload he brought on himself.
“It is a little frustrating, in my situation especially,” said the 40-year-old veteran, who had been in world class form. “Coming from a big injury, rehabbing and getting ready, starting to feel good and actually getting playing time — and now this happens.
“It’s not too serious, but it needs to be taken care of. It’s just really annoying, that’s what it is.”
With Khabibulin on injured reserve for a week, at least, it’s an opportunity for forgotten man Devan Dubnyk, who’s only played one complete game in the last 15 days, to re-establish himself as Krueger’s first choice.
