Curtis McElhinney and Paul Dainton have impressed in goal for the Springfield Falcons, who still have Allen York and Mike Clemente waiting in the wings.
Curtis McElhinney has been a mainstay in net for the Springfield Falcons.
SPRINGFIELD – Curtis McElhinney has played in the NHL.
Paul Dainton hopes to get there someday.
Whatever happens in the future, McElhinney and Dainton have given the Springfield Falcons excellent goaltending. They may be the best goaltending duo the Falcons have employed since 1997, when Manny Legace and Scott Langkow formed the tandem.
The difference back then was the Falcons were a dual-affiliated team, with the Hartford Whalers supplying Legace and the Phoenix Coyotes sending Langkow here. Now all of the goalies come from the Columbus Blue Jackets organization.
The parent team has no shortage of goalie prospects. That’s good news for the Falcons, who last season needed to use a franchise-record eight goaltenders due to call-ups and injuries.
This year, McElhinney and Dainton have helped the Birds begin 6-1-0-2 – their best start since 1997-98. But the tandem has lasted only seven games so far.
Dainton was injured in practice last week and the Falcons quickly recalled Mike Clemente from Missouri of the Central Hockey League. Clemente was impressive last season when he joined the Falcons, and he became the first netminder in franchise history to post a shutout in Hartford.
The forgotten man in the mix is Allen York, a highly regarded prospect who has spent time in the NHL. He is injured and waiting to take his place among the Falcons’ stable of goalies.
McElhinney was named as the CCM/AHL Goaltender of the Month for October after going 5-1-0-1. He posted a .949 save percentage and a 1.51 goals-against average.
He shut out Adirondack Oct. 14 in a 3-0 Springfield victory.
McElhinney was signed for depth in the organization, just as another Curtis, Curtis Sanford, was last season. Sanford never saw the AHL because he was needed in Columbus.
The same could have happened to McElhinney if the NHL were not in a lockout. NHL or AHL, McElhinney is just happy to be playing hockey.
He suffered a season-ending abdominal injury in February that required surgery. He was still on the injured list when the Blue Jackets acquired him from the Phoenix Coyotes in a trade.
The Blue Jackets did not re-sign Sanford, and decided on McElhinney as the depth goalie and No. 1 for the Falcons.
“I’ve been trying to make the most of this opportunity,” he said. “It’s been a good start.”
McElhinney did not have any special thoughts when he beat Portland 3-2 Oct. 28. The big thing for him is being healthy.
“It was a long road back and it was one of those kinds of injuries where there was a little bit of uncertainty in terms of whether or not I’d be playing again,” he said. “I’m not sure (Columbus) knew what their plans were for me, and fortunately, they kept me around.”
McElhinney’s play has not been lost on Dainton, who said he wanted to follow him with a good effort as he helped the Falcons secure a point in a shootout loss to Bridgeport.
“He’s been terrific,” McElhinney said. “It’s a difficult job being a backup. I know. I’ve been there. You wait, wait and when you get that opportunity to play, you want to do well.”
Dainton made 36 saves against Bridgeport and was named the game’s No. 1 star.
“He put the pressure right back on me and that’s a good thing,” McElhinney said.